Chinese New Year Reunion

As usual, I travelled back to my home town in Arau to celebrate Chinese New Year. This year, our home welcome a new member, my 7-month old nephew but my younger brother was not coming back from Pakistan due to work commitment. The celebration was only a modest one, my mom passed away many years ago and after my grand mother passed away, the Chinese New Year is just like a reunion of family members, especially for four of us, one working in Seremban, which is me, two brothers in Singapore and the youngest brother in Pakistan.

Remember your science class in the primary or secondary school when you learned about how the plants spread their seeds far away from the place through various kinds of agents like animals, wind, water, human and etc. Did your teachers told you that good seeds must spread far away so that they can have better chances of survival? I guess human being is just the same, the young men anf women from backward areas such as Arau, will naturally look for better opportunities elsewhere, in so doing, leaving behind their old parents in the home town.

If you see the TV commercials or advertisements specially made for festive seasons such as Hari Raya, Deepavali or Chinese New Year by some big corporations like Tenaga, Petronas, Telekom, KFC, Astro where most of the advertisements some how emphasised on how cheerful the old parents welcoming back their children or grand children after prolonged loneliness and waiting? Or how regretful the children that couldn't celebrate the festivity with one of the parents after the he or she died? These advertisements may be different in the contents, but the message sent across is clear; spend more time with the parents when they are still alive.

I rarely go back to Arau since I start working in 1994, I guess the reason is because my mom and grand mother are not around any more. I suppose if they are still alive, I would have to go back more often. Apart from going back to Arau, my wife and I still have to go back to Sitiawan where her mother lives. Such is nowadays way of living, you rarely see a big family staying together under one roof which was only common during the olden days. But despite barrier due to distance, are family ties become weaker and weaker? Or otherwise, why are the TV commercials keep on inculcating family values and what not? That is not the question that I intend to seek the answer. Sometime, the force of living will drift you to somewhere you may not want to be but alas, that is what it is, you have to bow down and accept it.

Just like the tree hoping its seeds can be spread as far as possible so as to have a better chance of survival, the parents will want the same to happen on their children, even though they have to suffer loneliness when their good seeds are sprouting on a greener pasture and turning into a big tree conquering a new frontier. But like I said, we are a higher class of living organism as compared to the trees, we will go back to the place where we were born and raised and share our success stories, sorrows, dissapointments with the old parents and brothers or sisters. After one year of loneliness, let us give them some cheerful moments in one or two days of the festive season.

My American Idol

Barack Obama is my first American Idol, not because he is the first ever black president of American, after all, the president of American has little things to do with us in Malaysia. But some how rather, I feel that he is somebody that we can hinge our hope on. Someone that we can thrust, and some one that will lead the suffering masses in the darkness to the light. Joe Biden, the vice-president-elect said to Barack when he was offered to be his running mate, 'Don't ask me unless the reason you're asking me is you're asking me for my judgement. I get to be the last guy in the room when you make every important decision. You're the president, any decision you make, I will back.' That words by Joe certainly show how supportive he is to his president.

My wife puzzles as to why I'm so interested in Obama, or rather idolised him as the American President has little influence on us in Malaysia. Even he is the first ever black president, so what? But do you recall when you were the grow up kid and when you were bullied by bad guys in the school or on the streets, would you not think of your heroes like superman or batman or spiderman that will come and save you? It looks like a childhood's dream huh? But in real life, we do need hero, maybe not in the forms of superman, batman, ironman, transformer or what so ever. Maybe your father or mother or brothers or sisters or friends or teachers will be someone that will guide you through when you are in the trouble. For me, I look upon to a truly inspired one like Barack as a hero.

I hope Barack will be a good man, just a simple good man which will take good care of his nation and preserve the peace of the world. The responsibilities on his shoulders are so big, two wars and a deepening economic crisis are on his back.

Coming back to the question as to why I'm so idolised Barack, it is simple, I can't find one here.

Chinese New Year Coming...........................

Chinese New Year is around the corner, but I don't really feel the festive mood as before. The streets are quiet, the economic downturn may be the contributing factor, people are more prudent in spending in anticipation of bad economy. Some may worry about getting a pay cut, or retrenchment. Even in the shopping malls, I don't see the big crowd that used to be before Chinese New Year in the past.

I have so far received lesser than before New Year cards. That could be the indication of most of my friends are like me, simply do not have the mood to celebrate new year due to bad economy. Hey, don't ever say that economic downturn has no effect on the common people like us. Just go to the streets and ask the hawkers selling mee or nasi lemak and see what are their response. Business is bad, less customers, less income and livelihood are badly affected. Do you benefit anything from the the stimulus package implemented by the government to counter the probable economic slowdown, or the technical recession? At least a cut on income tax would provide some relief to the wage earners. But is the government going to do that?

I was travelling back from Banting two days ago with my boss after a long and tiring meeting. He told me that he started to work in Kumpulan Guthrie as a planter in the seventies with a monthly salary of RM1000. He said at that time, planter was a highly respected profession, as an agriculture graduate, that was the best job that he could get at that time. He said things were cheap then, cars like Morris Minor or Volkswagen cost around RM 6000 to 7000. I then told him I started to work in the same industry in 1994 with a starting pay of RM1500. For about 20 years, the pay hike for plantation industry is only RM500 or about RM25 annually, what the fuck. I told him I bought a second hand Daihatsu Charade at the price of RM 24,000 which was equivalent to my 16-month pay while he could buy a brand new car with his 6-month pay.

Things are not improving then, I thought. Moving forward, we are not getting any better. Living standard becomes higher and higher, houses, cars and other basic necessities become more and more expensive. Our incomes have shrunk then. I guess it is going to be tougher if we are in recession this year. Whatever it is, Chinese New Year is around the corner, cleaning up your house, buy some new cloths, and hope that thing will get better.

Gong Xi Fa Chai

Objection to LCCT in Labu??

This time around, several prominent personalities in Malaysia normally seen at loggerheads find themselves on a common ground. Invasion on Gaza by Israel?? No, not that issue. They stand united in objecting the decision of the government to allow AirAsia and Sime Darby jointly opening up a new LCCT in Labu. We know that people like RockyBru, Wee Choo Keong, JeffOoi, and even the former PM are from different camps. They are popular bloggers, opposition-in-power, ex-prime minister, but strangely this time, they speak in one voice in opposing the construction of a new low cost terminal in Labu.

All considerations and technical limitations highlighted in the blogs of the respective opposers make practical sense. However, if AirAsia needs a bigger airport so that it can further expand its cheap services to the people, what so wrong with it operating its own airport in Labu? Not that they are going to use taxpayers' money to build the airport. Or some people simply oppose to it as they worry that the son-in-laws of somebody may stand to benefit from this project?

To common people, it's all boils down to dollar and cent. If AirAsia can provide very much cheaper alternative to what offer by MAS, why should we oppose to it? After all, what so wrong about converting an oil palm estate into a low cost terminal? Not that it will cause someone to lose their land or lose their livelihood or what not. It is timely for AirAsia to work on its expansion plan as it is overly crowded in the current LCCT more so because of the on-going upgrading work. Sometimes, the LCCT looks like a wet market as it is so crammed due to limited space.

Confucius' Crying Over New Era Dilemma

I do not follow the development on the dispute between the academic staff and the management of New Era College as I am not interested in any tussles involving Dong Jiao Zong or other Chinese Chambers of Commerce etc. However the violent act by a former student to the Chairman of New Era College during a convocation ceremony make me wonder how could the dispute between management and academic staff can evolve into an apparently unresolvable stage that end up the Chairman of the college being punched by an ex-student. This incident will certainly become the irreversible black mark in the history of New Era College, just like the black-eye incident of Anwar Ibrahim.

Chinese education stresses the importance of moral development of the individual. If the person who punched Dr Yap was indeed an ex-student of New Era, then it would not only seriously tarnish the good name of New Era College but also shatter the belief of Chinese community on the capability of New Era college to nurture holistic, cultured and competent professionals as stated in its mission.

The violence act by a former student on the Chairman of a college due to what so ever reason is completely unacceptable. After struggling for so many years to nurture and to protect the mother tongue education in Malaysia, that thrusting blow was indeed a deadly one to Dong Jioa Zong, blowing away the good image and hard work painstakingly built upon since Independence by many dedicated Chinese community leaders. I think the great Sage Confucius must be weeping if he comes to know about it.

A Great Fighter, Peter Gade Christensen

Watching Chong Wei playing Peter Gade Christensen in the semi final of the Malaysia Open is an absolute thrill. I have a lot of respect for Peter Gade, a real fighter who never give up and a highly rated badminton player with unrivaled sportsmanship. The first game was so nail-biting, so intense, you can hear it from the supporting Malaysian crowd. A few controversial line calls, but that did not affect the fighting spirit and sportmanship of both players. Chong Wei seemed to be a bit nervous, despite of early lead, he eventually gave up the first game 24-26. That was by far the best game I have seen in this year Malaysian Open. Both players taking lead many times before Chong Wei finally had to surrender to the highly motivated Danish.

After winning the second game 21-17, I roughly predicted that Chong Wei will win the third game and make him through to the final. True enough, age is not on Peter Gade's side, tiredness and exhaustibility slowed him down, he simply could not match the supreme fitness and confidence of his younger exponent and went down 13-21.

At the age of 32, Peter Gade has already passed his prime age as a sportsman. Despite losing two consecutive matches to Chong Wei, in Super Series Master final in Sabah a couple of weeks ago and the semi-final in Malaysian Open, Pater Gade remain one of highly rated badminton player because of his fighting spirit. Our younger players should learn from this tremedous sportsman, despite nearing retirement, Peter Gade fights every match with strong determination and never say die attitude. This is what lacking in our players nowadays, you know what I'm referring to if you watch how Chow Wei lost to Lin Dan in the 2008 Olmypic final.

Barber, Oh Aneh.

I complained to my barber that he was charging me very expensive at RM8 to crop my hair. After all, I have not too much hair for him to cut. I went there twice a month just to keep the shape of flat top, for my crew cut. Otherwise, it will be out of shape and I really feel uneasy with my spiky hair, like porcupine. This guy is really professional and he enjoys cutting hair not only for a living but also as a form of art. I enjoy his way of hair dressing as he cut every inch of my hair as though he is craving a piece of art work.

That's why I still travelling all the way down to Nilai for my hair cut despite shifting to Seremban a year ago. Sometimes, it is nice to pay someone who enjoy working for you.

AirAsia Flying Higher and Higher

AirAsia has been expanding by leaps and bounds over a rather short span while the national airlines MAS has been suffering huge losses year after year until Idris Jala successfully turn it around a couple of year ago. Tony Fernandes is surely one of the most innovative entrepreneur who thinks outside the box. AirAsia which is synonymous to Fernandes is one of the most successful business story highly rated by the industry. With the expansion of Labu LCCT, Fernandes is eyeing for 60 million passengers in 2013 with a combined total of 184 aircraft, making MAS shamefully left behind with the estimated fleet of 125.

The concept of AirAsia which clearly shown in its tag line "Now Everyone Can Fly' is the main success factor for this budget airline to outperform its elderly brother MAS. I have to travel every quarterly to Padang, Indonesia since 1999. From Pelangi Air to MAS, none of them last long. Pelangi used to fly to Padang with its Fokker which could sometime be a nightmare to the passengers. I can recall there were far too frequent delays, the worst being a 10 am flight delayed a couple of time until finally took off at night due to mechanical problems. When MAS was operating that route just two or three years ago, it was not even quarter full at times. Now, with AirAsia, the flight to Padang is mostly occupied as the fares are cheaper especially to the Indonesia passengers. Most of my friends working in Indonesia often praise AirAsia as it is much cheaper for them to fly back to be with their family. Similarly, those Indonesia passengers coming over to Malaysia for medical treatment or shopping can now enjoy very much cheaper air fares as compared to MAS.

I think Najib should consider making Tony his finance minister when he comes into power in March, 2009. Then Tony can make use of his exceptional talent and innovations to make everything cheap for us. Cheap toll, cheap petrol, cheap food, cheap house, cheap education, cheap police summons, cheap taxes, cheap car. How nice?................I must be dreaming.

War to spice up crude oil price???

I wonder how long can we continue to enjoy the current low oil price as crude oil rises above USD 47 a barrel due to the eruption of war in the middle East. It goes to show that whatever comes down will go up and whatever goes up will come down. As the whole world is condemning Israelis for the attack on Gaza Strips, maybe, the oil producing countries will have the last laugh as the tensions in the middle East will likely lead to the rise in the crude oil prices.

Is the war politically motivated? I mean is the waging of war by Israelis is not really because of their conflicts with Palestinian or so-called to fight terrorism but with other hidden agenda? May be there is a conspiracy to spice up the price of crude oil so that it will stimulate the world economy again? As you can see, USA is keeping mum on the attacks by Israelis on Palestinian.

Well, we will never know. This world is full of conspiracy, just that common people like us are too innocent to understand the complications of this world. What can we hope for is that the tensions in the middle east will soon be resolved peacefully, and the crude oil don't ever go up too high again.

Bye bye, Cars.My

Melee in his column Melee on the move, at Cars.My revealed that he is going to wind down the magazine he has been running for 8 years. I have been a fan of Cars.My mainly because of its more domestic reviews on cars that are more relevant to local car industry. Unlike some other popular car magazines which feature more reviews or articles published by their sister companies abroad.

Mel says that the readership of his magazine is down despite good efforts he and his crew have consistently putting in. Alas, Magazine is not like cigarettes or alcohol where people can get addicted to it. Most people would rather go for a movie for their pass time rather than reading. More so, information on cars and other stuffs are readily available through Internet nowadays, so why bother buying a car magazine?

The decision for Mel to go on line may be is a timely one. Hopefully, good efforts by true car enthusiasts like Mel and his pals will still get appreciated by the fans. Otherwise we may one day reading car magazines from overseas which may not tune to the our local situation.