Goodbye!

Friends, families, and people who have been believing,

Well, this will be my last post in this blog. Don't ask me why but it's a personal reason. No, i have not been threatened by the police, CIA, KGB or whatever. Just that due to some reasons that i do not want to discuss, i think it's time to let this blog go.

This blog have given me the platform to believe that every person has his or her right to say what they want, and have an opportunity to be heard without prejudice for what they believe in.

A million thanks for your support all these times for believing in me and for coming back for more no matter what crap i put up on this place. It's been a nice journey and i have been enjoying it every second of the way especially with the support i have been getting from u guys.

So this will be goodbye. For those who would like to keep in touch can always buzz me on the messengers or just send me an email at wonglokemeng (at) gmail (dot) com.

Again, thanks and keep on believing.

-Loke Meng-

Ada Apa Dengan Songkok?

I read in disgust today a story which i have been following for the past few days regarding a DAP politician, Chinese of course, whom refused to wear a Songkok to a ceremony in the royal palace and therefore did not attend it. At least that was what was told by another person. I, of course was not born with the feature to read other's mind, so therefore i do not know what really happened. I do not wish to comment on that as i believe that every person has his or her right to do what they want as long as it's not against the law or even if it is, if he or she does not mind paying for the consequences from their actions. I am too lazy to find the link to that story but here are the ones from the aftermath, here, here and here.

What really disgusted me was the elaborate discussion that ensued the event. I know i'm contradicting myself with what i have said about the rights of the people up there, but i also have the right to vent in MY blog. First of all, i do not know what is the fuss about, if a Chinese man is required to wear a Songkok to an official event? And then, what is it with the Malays if a Chinese man do not wish to wear a Songkok??

Rilek la brader. Nothing better to argue about ar? Go fly a kite la.

Man, some people can really be that shallow a person. It's not just the Songkok story but a host of others that we still have happening around us in general, up to today, 50 years after we have achieved independence. According to what i have read, the Chinese politician said that it is against his principle and he do not wish to be Malaynised by doing that. What the fuck man?? And then the others, which are Malays (i don't see much logic in Indians defending the Songkok here), i presumed, which slammed him as being a racist. Then we have a very long discussion which i read with much amusement about who is right and who is wrong, and who is racist and then who is not.

To me, all those big bunch of people who were involved in the discussion up there are all racists. So much for the nationwide shouts before the election that we are all Malaysians and there is no Malay, Chinese, or Indian and that we should not be seggregated by race or skin colour.

I know that most of us Chinese's are a little bit paranoid about doing something that would a portray us as being Malays. It is as if we would be Malaynised by it. Shit! If that is so, i would've been a Bin Abdullah by now. Maybe because i had grown up in a neighbourhood where out of a 100, only 5 are Chinese, that i share such an opposing view. Maybe I have been "Malaynised", but hell no. I don't think so. I still think Shah Alam have too little accessible Char Siew supply.

Me and my brother practically speak to each other in Bahasa Melayu most of the time, even until today, of course sometimes to the displeasure of my parents. They will always ask "U two are Malay ar?" Even Malays say i speak BM more Malay than Malays, even in Terengganu where i work. I guess you 'Moo' in a cowshed and you 'Mengembek' in a kandang kambing. As much as i could remember, once, i wore a Baju Melayu which i borrowed from my Malay housemate to attend a Hari Raya open house invitation some time ago when i was fortunate enough to celebrate it with friends. Yes, there was a time when i was staying with a bunch of my Malay friends, when i was in Uni and had some of the best funs, of course not without having to endure funny looks i get from them Chinese friends. Hell, i even sing along to Indian rap songs! And nowadays, from the associations in the work place, i naturally swear in German when something goes wrong.

I attended Sekolah Kebangsaan and i don't know how to read or write Chinese but does it make me look and feel less Chinese? I certainly don't think so. I feel that how and where i was brought up made me more Malaysian than the people i made this post referenced to. I am proud of it and i don't feel ashamed. I do feel ashamed for people who cannot accept that Malaysia is a multi cultural country and for them to feel that it is a taboo for doing something that belongs to another culture or race.

Damn! Don't even call yourself a Malaysian if you cannot even accept others that hangs out around you in a mamak shop.

I am not a perfect Malaysian but at least i'm not such a hypocrite. Shaise!

Winds of Change

Yesterday was an historic day in Malaysian history, a day where all Malaysians suddenly felt a tinge of fresh air blowing out from polling stations or rather for people like me, from the internetosphere.

Yes, yesterday was the 12th General Election in Malaysia, as you might have already known from the buzz circling around the country at the moment or maybe even from from when i have shared some of my grouses in this blog, sharing sentiments with millions of other Malaysians on how frustrated we have become with the current administration and how they are slowly picking up pace in screwing up our lives.

Well, us Malaysians spoke up yesterday, we voted (well, actually i didn't, well, u know where i am now) and we make them politicians know what we wanted. Well, the present government controlled by Barisan Nasional or National Front still won the elections but the Opposition swept them off their feet, making them fall HARD on their asses. They lost their 2/3 majority which was the main opposition objective and also captured 5 States at the same time, well, 6 if you consider Kuala Lumpur also as a state.

(Mr. Rocket Kid here blew them silly)

It's big, it's historic, it's unbelievable, it's phenomenal, and most of all, it's 'Makkal Sakthi' meaning people's power, a phrase most of us Malaysians probably have gotten used to in the past few months or so, after our fellow Malaysian Indians educated us on how we could be the change we want to be. Never in my living memory in Malaysia, have i seen how so much people from different races and religions, beliefs and social status, got united together and champion a feat of such mammoth proportion.

To even imagine this victory for the people half a year ago would have been unheard of, but then there are indeed angels living among us. People who are more socially than politically inclined to initiate change in our beloved country to rid off these corrupt and racist politicians. We know we are being screwed around, economically, socially and racially, but then, we felt so helpless wanting to try to stop the rot with the government consistently showering us with news day after day, on how well we are doing, how they are helping every race and religion to prosper to greater heights, when in fact, this is not entirely true at all.

Kudos to the independant news websites on the blogosphere which have kept us informed on whats really happening and opened our eyes to the 'real' world. My personal praise to Raja Petra Kamaruddin, the webmaster of Malaysia Today, the website which i have been following religiously along with the other government controlled mainstream medias to get a balanced view of whats really going on. This man was one of the main reasons why the government got a good thrashing in the elections, for he have tirelessly champion the cause for the Rakyat, online and offline. He was one of the speakers many people braved the rain for, to listen to during the campaigning period of the elections. Yet, he's not even a politician running for the election, just another guy who dares to speak his mind and walks the talk. I admire this guy a lot. Go to the link above and read his postings and you will know why. He have no fear in offending even the different races by calling them names, when he knows he's speaking the truth. Maybe thats why people listen to him.

Well now, i may sound naive with all the things that i have said. Maybe even what the oppositions made me believe are also not true, maybe everythings really a load of cock and bull. But i don't care, everyone can have their own judgement of things, for me, i have analyzed the case being presented to me, maybe it's not the whole truth, but i can only believe in what i know, and now i damn well know that with the 2/3 majority of the government lost in the Parliament, we can be assured that these dimwits can no longer do as they want. Some form of democracy will take over the elected dictatorship that the country have lived with since we achieved independence in 1957, more check and balance will save us all from doom.

Life will hopefully be fairer for everyone in this country, everyone will be given a chance, I will not pay my income tax, year in and year out, just to make the rich people richer, and there will be a new dawn with a greater hope for all. This is what i hope the opposition will bring us as they have promised before. Maybe they are also a bunch of scumbags, who now have been given the chance to pillage what they can before the time runs out for them as well. Nothing is clear yet, at least the winds of change have arrived, we will just have to wait and see what it brings to us and what it blows away. But for now, lets just savour this moment, this great big wheel of hope is turning. Let's get on and ride it to wherever it brings us. It's a proud day for me to be a Malaysian.

A post for Mama

I don't know how many of you out there actually read newspapers, but if you have read The Star newspaper in the past weeks, you would probably have noticed an article written by a certain Elaine Dong titled 'The Beauty of Ordinary Lives', which can still be viewed here. It was actually a review of a book titled 'Gilding the Lily' as seen through the eyes of writer Liew Suet Fun and photographer S.C. Shekar.

I have personally not seen the book, because, well, you know where yours truly is at, at the moment. But basically from the article, the book's objective is, i quote the author:

"to focus on human values, the values of these women. All the women we interviewed worked, they faced daily challenges. These challenges are universal challenges faced by women, whether they are in big cities or small towns. They worry about the household, their children, their livelihood. Therefore, we try to highlight the values that these women bring to the table in carrying through the challenges.”

I think the effort is just magnificent and it truly reminded me of my mum who have struggled to keep the family up and running through the years until me and my siblings are now grown up . Since the days when my father had his first stroke attack which made him unable to work, my mum have gone a long way from holding multiple household cleaning jobs to being a kindergarten teacher today, even though she only managed to finish her education until Form 3. She managed to put food on the table and provide for us despite the struggles, being the sole breadwinner for the family after what have happened to my father.

(Mummy dearest n me all smiles)

Her determination and courage that she had while having to put up with the crap that we were dishing out to her while we were growing up never failed to inspire me all these times when i am learning to live my life.

Now she may not be internet savvy enough to be reading my blog (sending an SMS out from her mobile was already an achievement enough in her ways), or being featured in the book i mentioned above, but in my world, my mum is a hero that i look up to for inspiration, the extraordinary person in this world that, if not for her, i would not be where i am today. I love you mum!

Bonjour Liban

If a picture is worth a thousand words, surely being there is worth a million words. The last few days of my off days was occupied with a trip to Lebanon, Beirut being the main destination and other places along the way, Byblos, Bekaa Valley, etc. Despite all the security concerns and political bullshit and what nots running everyday in the news now, me and Charles were pretty sure that everything was ok.

(Beautiful snow capped mountains and the first big sign of civilization!)

So with the million dollar assumption made, we packed our backpacks and duly hopped onto the service taxi that took us across the Syrian-Lebanese border through snow capped mountains for the 3 hours journey to Beirut. Our first stop for what would be an unbelievably nice trip.

The first moment we crossed the border onto the Lebanese immigration office, we were truly caught by surprise by how the world on the other side of the fence was different to the many middle east countries i have been to. The immigration officers were so friendly and throughout the 4 days in Lebanon, the hospitility that was bestowed upon us by all walks of people that we came across made us feel like we were not in a middle east country with war threats looming at the window sills.

Although the streets in Beirut were littered with police and army personnels every 50 metres armed with tanks and M-16's, i think the main job of those guys were mainly to become guide to lost tourists or being a mobile sophisticated interactive map and city guide. Every one of them that we chanced upon never failed to give a smile and greet us in either English, Arabic or French.

Beirut is also well known in this part of the world as the Paris of the middle east and walking through the streets of the city truly verified the claim. Suffering from civil war that hit the country till the 90s, the city was left with a bunch of Ottoman era buildings that were badly damaged leaving behind structures with only supports and holes in walls. Since then, the city have been rebuilt to something that you would have to see with your own eyes to believe.

(What was the Holiday Inn hotel that was left as it is after the war. It was never rebuilt unlike the adjacent buildings and now is one of the landmarks in the city centre)

Although there is no war, we were trying hard at attempting suicide with the amount of McDonald's, Burger King, Starbucks and what nots we were indulging in for the 4 days. Mind you, we were deprived from all these life necessities in Syria for the past almost 1 year :p

(You can only imagine my jubilation!!!)

Shopping was the main agenda when we were there considering the sale that was on and the lack of avenue to spend our hard earned money in Syria. Every new day was a new quest to another shopping centre to find the things we need and conquering virgins...ermm..Virgin Megastores i mean.

(Hard Rock Cafe: Spreading early Christmas news)

Of course i also visited some other places, when the shopping centres are not open. Nothing much to shout about, a few small towns here and there, one being Byblos, one of the oldest continuously inhabited town in civilization. Also had the chance to visit and tour a winery in one of the mountain areas. Chicks serving free wines, gotta love 'em!

(No, they don't sell them wines by the barrels..)

I may seem full of praises for a country others would probably view as a shithole and would pretty much avoid at all costs, but well, the main reason i enjoyed the trip so much was probably because we went there expecting so little but then actually got so much in return. Certainly was not what I expected for a country in the middle east where terrorists are said to breed like mosquitoes.

One sure thing is that this is a country where i have seen the most number of Porsche's in a day and where 6 cars out of 10 on the road are BMW's. If the world thinks that Lebanon is run by screwed up people who just wants to go to war in the name of religion, i surely hope that one day they will stop by in Malaysia and tweak things up a lil bit! I would surely love to have one of them nice cars in my garage!

2 Wheels, 72 Spokes

(Last one to McDonalds in Hill Star Road buys the Happy Meal rounds!)

















The Tour De Langkawi just ended 2 days ago...and this was a hell of a nice shot..

I miss my bicycle, miss going mountain biking, miss going at absurd bone breaking speeds through the jungle on 2 wheels with testosterone infused balls, miss being chased by overly friendly wild dogs with big and sharp teeths and miss the high fives given by village people when we pass by them.

I miss my life back home.....

Bomberman

So maybe some of you readers actually have a life besides ogling at my blog and noticed that there was a car bombing incident in Damascus on the 12th of Feb, last Tuesday that is. Which was, i suppose, showing on some news channel, everywhere. A senior Hezbollah (read: Lebanon-Israel politics/war) leader was killed in the attack they say was initiated by Israel or maybe some angry taxi driver with a spare bomb in the trunk.
























The fact that the bombing happened about 10 minutes from my place made it quite the interesting. Dangerous, yes, interesting, more. These Arabs have adopted a weird population control concept as we have observed from recent times. I wished they would've just let me buy them a bottle of insecticide to do the population control job and then spare me the car.

It's kinda tiring having to walk around the city all the time and not really knowing how to handle the public transportation system that well here in Damascus, or rather in any funny language country that i end up in. I don't understand what's written on the buses, for all i know, they might drive me all the way to Baghdad, and when i take a taxi, as customary for taxi drivers all over the world, they try to rip me off at every chance they get. Honestly, do i by any chance remotely resemble Uncle Scrooge?

I see these events come and go in the news all the time, but this time when it happened so near to me, at a range where the blast could actually be heard from my apartment, i got all excited and actually wished it was near enough for me to go and watch. Not near enough to get blown up as an accessory though, i know some yours truly out there would actually wish otherwise :p Anyway i was sleeping at that time. Didn't find out about it till the next day and it was my friend living nearby who heard the blast and thought it was just another fireworks show.

As interesting as i thought it would be though, life and business in the city went on as usual the next day. In fact, half the town was painted red, literally, poor trees, to welcome St Valentine's day. Bombing or no bombing, love wins the heart of the people. Bravo to the people for not succumbing to fear induced by these bloody municipal population controllers. Cheers to that!

And on that note, i'll hand over you guys back to your worshipping of YouTube, Friendster, MySpace and what not. That's all from the idiosyncratic satirical Farm Man, your unreliable Middle East correspondent, reporting from you, delayed, from Damascus, Syria.


(CUT! Ok guys, thats a wrap, now let's go grab some shawerma before they blow them stalls up as well!)