Black and White

I decided to be 'artistic' and take some black and white shots in the past few weeks or so, and here they are. A reminder though, I did use liberal amounts of photoshop on them so what you see may not exactly be what I took.

The Malaysian Dream

A little more than a year ago, I was sitting on the couch, channel surfing out of boredom when I chanced upon something thought provoking. It was a scene from one of those old black and white P. Ramlee movies. Not really unusual for RTM1 to screen such movies on a Sunday night, except this one was different. There was none of the usual Ali Babas or Bujang Lapoks or Malaccan warriors. Nor was there the usual forbidden love theme. Instead, on the telly was a group of youths no older than I was; boys and girls of various races - Malays, Chinese, Indians and even a lone Sikh - riding bicycles together, singing a song about 'Malaya sudah merdeka'. And somehow, that scene made me smile. Not because it had became cheesy at this time and age, but because of the sense of optimism that it portrayed.

Yes, everything just looked so good for us back then didn't it? With independence came new hopes. For once, we were a nation and not just a colony ruled by a foreign people half a world away. We were free to create our own futures and chart our own destiny. It was supposed to be the beginning of a dream - the Malaysian Dream.

But how differently things have turned out for us almost fifty years later. Fractured by racism and strangled by chauvinism, the dream is dead. And the day the dream died was the day when people, including our leaders, started blaming each other's races for the failure of their own. It's the truth. The Malaysia we see now is merely a facade; a lid put on to cover the the boiling pot of discontent and tension. Nobody cares anymore about Malaysia. What is there to care about when there is only race and ethnicity in our eyes? A recent survey has proved it. Malays would rather be identified with their religion first while the Chinese would prefer to remain exactly that - Chinese - and not Malaysian. It's a shame. A shame because this is what a nation once so full of hope had become: a broken down old car, its parts not working together anymore while the driver gives it a new paint job every year to hide the defects inside the hood.

It's sad. I care for this country. I really do. But the things I hear everyday; the comments by politicians about 'bathing the keris in Chinese blood' and how other races will 'take advantage' of theirs. It just seems more and more to me that this nation is pointing in the wrong direction. I mean, are we so blind that we cannot see the invisible hands playing poker with racial cards? Or are we silent because of the threats that these hands make? Because of the fear that they have instilled in us? The fear that we will somehow 'lose' our identity as Malays, Chinese or Indians if we dare open our eyes and see what a truly Malaysian Malaysia can offer?

Yes, it is indeed sad. It is sad that we are being racially manipulated by people holding the reins of power. But what is even more sad is that we don't even know we are being manipulated. We bought everything they said hook, line and sinker. The hands that play the cards have played them very well indeed. This country is so divided now that to betray it isn't considered a crime. To betray your race is. And even then, the definition of betrayal has been perverted to the point where to suggest a system that is fair for all is considered 'selling out' your own race. And I'm not just referring to any one race. I'm referring to all the races, in particular the Chinese.

So just what then is the Malaysian dream? Well, if the American Dream is considered to be having two children and living in a suburban house with financial security and a 2 car garage, then perhaps the Malaysian Dream is to come home to a nice house in the suburbs after work, play with your two kids under the rambutan tree and then have dinner overlooking the beautiful lights of Kuala Lumpur. But even more important than that I feel, is to have my children grow up without having to see the world in tinted eyes. To have them grow up in a world where Ali, Ah Chong and Muthu all belong to the Malaysian race. Yes, perhaps that is what the Malaysian Dream is all about. My plea to our leaders is, please don't destroy it.

Selamat Hari Malaysia.

Takde Kerja Lagi Baik Ke?

A report in the Star about the failure (of a yet another hare brained scheme) to turn Mat Rempits into 'useful' members of society:
Mat Rempits 'Untameable'

"The attempt of Putera Umno to “tame” the 8,000 or so Mat and Minah Rempit was marred over the weekend when some of them misbehaved and purportedly indulged in vice, fights and brought shame to a mosque.

Harian Metro reported that some Minah Rempit wore revealing clothes in the mosque compound and at the Muslim graveyard when they came to clean up the area.

They were participating in the Putera Motor Merdeka Expedition Kuala-Lumpur-Teluk Batik 2006.

Some of the Mat and Minah Rempit in the group also jumped into the Teluk Muroh’s masjid’s kolah (water storage pond) that was meant for ablution for worshippers before prayers.

Even though the locals admonished the group for their improper behaviour, this was ignored. The mosque committee then lodged a complaint with the Manjung District Religious Office (PAIDM).

PAIDM enforcement officer Mohd Zainuddin Mohamed Zaini confirmed with Harian Metro that his office had received the complaint.

In addition, he said, PAIDM also received numerous other complaints about this group of 8,000 or so Mat and Minah Rempit who were in Teluk Batik on Sept 9 and Sept 10."

Okay, fine enough. But what did the organizers think about it?

"The newspaper also contacted Putera Umno head Datuk Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim on the incident. He said he had not received any report of wrongdoing and believed it did not happen."

Read that again: "believed it did not happen". So he thinks the locals are lying? That the locals are making up a story and reporting it to PAIDM? Shame on him. This is a good example of the very same denial syndrome aparrently suffered by most of our leaders. To them, their ideas and plans are always foolproof. Any evidence to the contrary is dismissed, the program glossed up and proclaimed a success in the end. Maybe Putera Umno should just be frank and give us the truth: that this entire exercise is to increase Umno membership and popularity.

Asking Mat Rempits to do community service...what a joke. If you ask me, the only way to treat folks like them is to throw them in jail (penjara tidak kurang 2 tahun) and bury their motorcycles six feet under.

Normal Service Resumes

Yup. And that means more spotting pics, but this time with a twist. Haven't gone to the airport to spot for more than four months because of my taxing schedule, so I had to improvise. Well, that and I should be kicking myself for not going to the airport on August 30th to catch the F-18Ds in action. Anyways, introducing the 'Aircraft from a Distance' series:

To start things off: RSAF F-16s. Taken from my bro's place at NTU, Singapore.

Closeup of the same pic. There's no disputing - they're indeed F-16s.

From Putrajaya on a university trip:

MH's Airbus A330 dashes into the clouds

After some enhancements in Photoshop

AirAsia's B737-300 heads home to some bad weather.

Closeup from the same pic.

MH's B737-400 follows suit

Closeup

An airliner I can't identify. Not sure of it's airline or type. Could it be a triple 7?

Closeup

Two planes in one shot

The first one on the right: can't really make out the type, but it certainly has 4 engines. An A340-600? A B747 seems more likely though.

No disputing this one though. One of AirAsia's A320s from its growing fleet.

From home:

An MH 734 flying overhead, probably at flight level.

Closeup

Workhorse of the TUDM and Army - the S-61 Nuri.

Closeup

Inflight on the way back to Sarawak, 10th July 2006:

AirAsia's B733 seen from my flight on one of MH's A330s. The captain came on and told us we were holding in a circling pattern 60 miles outside of Kuala Lumpur due to busy single runway ops at KLIA.

Closeup. It's AirAsia alright!

The money shot - Japan Airlines' 744 at flight level over the South China Sea.

This blowup clearly shows it's a B747-400 with it's 4 engines and winglets.

Another shot...

...and a blowup which reveals clearly the airline it flies for.

From my rented home outside Unimas:

Fokker 50, caught ironically on it's last day of operation under MH. All are under FlyAsianXpress now.

Closeup, with PS enhancements

Just caught today: one of PDRM's Alouette choppers

Closeup

And that wraps up the collection...so far. Be assured there will be a part two sometime soon. Folks with a phobia of flying machines beware!

Yayasan Sarawak Debate 2006

Okay, this was supposed to be up a week ago, but I guess I was too high to type all this then. But anyway, we won. Yes, we won!! Haha...it's been a week since it happened and yet that same feeling of glee is still there. It's indescribable. Us Unimas folks went out there, swept everything clean and became the first team to win back to back titles. Well the Swinburne guys did win four out of the five 'best speaker' awards for the preliminaries but still we did manage to win that remaining one, so I guess that's an achievement - winning something in each category.

To the debate guys who had been with us since day one - Dhane, Esther, Quay, Rohene, Sheue Jin, Soosai and Harttini (and anyone whom I may have left out) - I hate to sound really cliche, but you guys ROCK!!

The gang - with Sheue Jin and Rohene missing

And of course, special mention goes to my debate partner Gary. You da man! Rocked the entire house you did.

Yes! Ecstacy! Fulfillment at last! Haha...



Check out the official website for this year's YS World Style English Debate at http://www.mpbl.edu.my/worlds/