Post bersih

Throughout the evening, there were numerous run in with the police. Things seem to be getting out of hand. There were chaotic scenes in the heart of KL. I wanted to see the happening but the situation was too dangerous at times. I even had to run a few times to avoid the painful gas. Later in the evening I saw a man arrested by the police. After the Isya prayers I went out for dinner. KL was unusually quiet, especially for a Saturday night..

What started as a peaceful demonstration turned ugly at the end. Why? I do not know as I was too far from the front to see what was happening. All I knew was that suddenly the police started spraying tear gas from their vehicle. People started running away. I had to run too. Managed to escape that one but there were many others. Although I wasn't hit directly, my eyes felt the sting. At one time I had difficulty opening them, such was the effect. A few nice strangers gave me salt while I had with me water. That helped.

Run

Suddenly the crowd were running away from Dataran. From afar I could see the dreaded water being sprayed onto the crowd. I wasted no time. Run.....run. From in front of Bandaraya, I headed towards Jln Tuanku Abdul Rahman. Everybody was running helter skelter. Its everybody for himself. What made the police to start spraying I do not know but whatever it was I need to get away from it.

Before the storm

Tens of thousands

Dataran has become like a fortress. All round it barricades of barbed wire can be seen. A strong police presence could also be seen around the area. Still the people were not to be deterred. They are still coming by the thousands. By noon the crowd were getting to be so big. Its difficult to estimate because they were everywhere around it. Add to the crowd forming at Masjid Jamek, Pasar Seni, KLCC, Brickfields, Sogo and everywhere else, they must number in the thousands.

Ten in the morning

Early in the morning around Masjid India, the atmosphere was like a carnival about to happen. Everybody seem cheerful having breakfast or just walking around in their yellow shirts. Some were making quick money by the roadside selling everything Bersih. By ten, the roads around Dataran were impassable. Streams of people were walking towards it from all directions. Some were sitting by the roadside. I tried to get near Dataran but couldn't find a way through. Bersih is on

Morning scene

Took an early morning walked around Jalan Masjid India. Everything looked calm and quiet. Saw quite a number of people with Bersih T shirt on. Ready for the afternoon rally for sure. Will take a look at Dataran later to see the latest. Last night the place was already jammed packed with people. They were having a good time.

Pre Bersih

I was expecting some crowd at Dataran tonight but never expected this big. Must be in the thousands. Met a husband and wife team from P Pinang. Also a guy from Trengganu. Going by what I saw tonight, looks like tomorrow we can expect a big turnout. They were noisy with shouts of Bersih, Bersih but alhamdulillah peaceful. Lets hope it remains that way tomorrow.

Dataran 11 pm.....

Calm before the storm

The day before

Managed to get to KL this evening. The traffic was terrible once  inside KL especially near Dataran. Taking a walk around Dataran, I noticed that they have cordoned off the area with three layers of barricade. How the people are going to get through the barriers I don't know. I cannot envisage what will happen tomorrow. It will definitely be a standoff. The way I see it, the area around Dataran will be swamped with people because they cannot get on to it. It will only make it worse........

A jog then.....

Nowadays when I jog in the morning, it has become some sort of a habit for me to have to stop for a visit to the loo. Yesterday it happened again. Luckily I could find a place nearby to let go, just in time. Otherwise I would have been caught in an embarrassing situation. In the past, I have had to let go at a restaurant, a Petronas station and at a mosque. Terrible. Maybe I should adjust my jogging time to evening!

Some adjusting

Now I see it then I don't see it. That's what I'm experiencing with the new blogger look. Its giving me some headaches trying to get used to the changes in the new system. It might not be much but for me at least, it takes some adjusting. Hopefully I won't find it too difficult.

Halal

The authorities have said no but Bersih is adamant. Its Dataran or bust. So, what is going to happen? Only God knows. I hope it won't end up like Bersih 2. I'm sure the two sides can put their heads together to come up with the best solution. As a rakyat, it is my duty to support Bersih. I would like to see an election that is fair unlike now where it is skewed to one side. It shouldn't be that way. Both sides should have equal opportunities. Then only the elected government will be 'Halal'.

Education should be free

Yes, the education systems stinks because students are finding themselves in debts as soon as they graduate. Even before they start work, they are already in debt. With the pay not rising as fast as the cost of living, what chance have they got to repay the loans. Education should be free at all levels. The country can afford it I'm sure. We are a rich country but we need to manage it carefully. Not the way its done now where the elite few are raking in the money while the poor are left out.

My life

At ten years old, life was full of fun. I had no worry and no ambition. Come what may, life is to be lived as it come. At twenty years old, I began to realise that life has its hurdles. Getting a degree is just one thing. My driving license is another. At thirty years old, I was busy working trying to make a decent living. I was busy bringing up my family. At forty years old, I thought I had it all. A good job, a nice family, a house, a car. All I needed was more money to make it perfect. At fifty, I found that life still has plenty of surprises for me, even at this age. The ups and the downs never stops, until your eyes closed forever, that is. Ya Allah, give me the strength to be grateful to You forever, to be Your obedient servant, to live my life the way You want it.

Selama Perak

I left my hometown Selama, Perak thirty eight years ago to further my studies oversea. On coming back after five years, my parents had already moved to KL. Because of that, I never had any reason to go back to Selama after that. And so it is, Selama is now a distant memory. If I remember correctly, I only went back once since then. Even then it was for a fleeting moment, a quick drive through the town for a look see. Hope I can find the time to visit it someday in the future.

What will happen?

The day is getting nearer and nearer. The temperature is getting hotter and hotter. The authorities are getting nervous. The people are adamant. So what will happen? Will we see a repeat of Bersih 2? Or will Bersih 3 come and go without any incident?

Champions

Finally Maurinho's Real Madrid got the better of Barcelona. With the win last night, Real Madrid are sure to march on unabated for the La Liga title. In Germany, B. Dortmund has already sealed the title while in Italy, its still touch and go between AC Milan and Juventus. As for England, we will see today. There could be last minute twist and turn for all we know. I fancy Man City to put the pressure on Man U till the last kick of the ball.

Pathetic

Almost half a million was spent for a daughters engagement. More than a million was given to a woman within a space of four months. Dad is so filthy rich the son can afford a porche plus bodyguards. Condos are being bought costing millions. These are some of the things that we happen to know. There are many others I'm sure of that. Pejuang agama dan bangsa'?

New surroundings

Its been two days already since I last wrote anything. All along I thought it was just yesterday when I did my last piece of junk. As it turned out, it was Thursday when I did that. Today its Sunday. Wow! Never thought time could fly so fast, even in retirement. What did I do on Friday and Saturday? Yes, now I remember. Friday I did the Friday prayer at Cheras for the first time. Saturday, I went to the same mosque again for Zuhur prayer. I lost my slipper.......

Staying well and healthy

An article in a newspaper yesterday about being healthy at fifty and above got me interested. I could relate to many of the things written. For example, as we get older, the body cannot do what it used to do before. The recovery rate gets slower. The body is also more prone to injury. How true. I experienced it myself as I get older. For distances that I used to walk before without any problem, I find it tiring now. I could run and run while playing any game, now I run and rest. I used to play football everyday but now I need a few days to recover in between exercise. That's the way it is. Anyway, Alhamdulillah, I am well and healthy, for my age that is. Just hope it stays that way, Insha Allah.

Loss

Two nights without the TV feels like an eternity. Feels like I am losing touch with the world cause I cannot see the news. Can still read the newspapers but they are yesterday's news. With the TV, it is up to date, sometimes live. Even the internet cannot provide the same feeling like watching TV. Hope by tomorrow I get my TV back on line.......

Stealing is wrong

The conflict in Syria is still going on relentlessly. People are being harassed, bombed and killed. Meanwhile the UN struggles to find common ground. What does it take before the world gets serious? A million killed? Back home, the quest for free and fair elections continues. A government born out of fraud and deception is illegal. It is similar to stealing. Everybody knows that stealing is wrong, no matter how much you try to make it look right.

Lacking in resolve

I really envy and admire people who have the Quran in their head i.e. memorise the Quran. To me, it is such a difficult thing to do that it's almost impossible but off course it is not. Thousands of people have done it, thousands are doing it and thousands more will do it. In my own little way, I have tried to join the thousands but I have not been been able to. I am still trying but the resolve is sometimes lacking. That's why I guess I am still at where I am even after so many years of trying.

What is financial freedom?

What do we mean when we say we want to have financial freedom? Financial freedom from what? From having to work to earn a living? From having to worry about where the next meal is coming from? From having to live within a budget? From having restrictions to buy anything you want? I don't know about others but my idea of financial freedom is simple. That is to not having to work in order to earn a living. Going by that definition, I definitely have financial freedom! Off course I still have to live within a budget and I still have things that I want to buy but cannot but that's immaterial. What is important is I don't have to work anymore now!

Can't wait for the big day

Last night I happened to be around KL on my way back home from an outing. Decided to drive to Dataran to catch a glimpse of the students who were making themselves at home there. Unfortunately, the area was cordoned off. I had to do a detour. As a result I could only see Dataran from afar, not near enough to see the students. Perhaps tomorrow in the morning if I can steal some time away, I would try to make my way there, just to give them moral support. Can't wait for the big day ........

A simple game

Every time I see a live coverage of a golf tournament, I have this thought in my mind that golf is a simple game. No strenuous effort required, just walk and hit the ball but believe me when I say that it is not that simple. The pros make it look so easy but try playing the game yourself. You will soon no that it is not that simple. Just look at the recently concluded Malaysian open. Only one Malaysian made the cut out of twenty two. As for a Malaysian winning it, it remains a distant dream.

We will be bankrupt

When free education is being offered, there are people who are against it. When free water is given, there are people who are against it. When no toll is being offered, there are people who don't want it. At times I am at a loss for words. Just don't know what is in their mind. They will give some silly excuses like its impossible because the country will go bankrupt. If you ask me, I feel the country will go bankrupt if we carry on as we are. Millions and even billions are being loss through corruption, lack of accountability and lack of transparency.

I experienced it first hand

I was at an event organised by the opposition recently. There I experienced first hand what I have been reading recently. Nearby was a surau. Some people inside were trying their best to disrupt the event by making loud noises using the surau loudspeaker. It got so bad, one of the opposition speakers apologised on behalf of all the Muslims present, saying that in Islam, we are taught to respect other peoples event, not try to disrupt it. To do that from a surau, that make it even worse. Perhaps that reminder had an effect cause not long after that, they stopped.

Staring blankly

There are days when I would sit in front of the computer staring at the empty screen wondering what to write. I would write something, then decided against it, write something else, decided against it and so on. This can go on for hours sometimes. At the end of the day, I will end up with nothing written. I cannot imagine how those writers can come up with interesting articles every day. To write just one paragraph is a struggle for me!

What! Public Holiday?

A few days ago I wanted to make an appointment to see my doctor. I called the hospital only to be told that it was a public holiday because of Agong's installation. That's the problem with not working. I don't keep up with the calender anymore. Every day is a holiday for me. One time I went to a bank only to find it closed. I was puzzled until a friendly guard told me its a public holiday. There have been many other similar occasions in the past. There will be many more in future I'm sure.

Three hours wait?

The story about the long queue at a roadside stall selling burger in Wangsa Maju shocked me. Although I always have this feeling that Wangsa Maju folks have a liking for food. They don't mind waiting just so that they get their favourite food. I know of a place where people queue for their Char Ko Teau cause I have done it myself but to wait for up to three hours for your burger, that's something different!

Its working

My new eating regime seems to be working. After two weeks, my weight dropped one kilo. Even then I wasn't following too strictly. There were times when I wavered, eating till my stomach was full. Still it is encouraging. In the long run, I think it will be good for my stomach plus also my health. I'm at an age now where health is paramount. They say what you are now is because of what you were twenty years ago but its never too late too try something new, especially if is for the good, Insha Allah.

Never ending bills

Like everybody else, every month I have my share of bills to pay. Phones, cards, Astro, electricity, loans plus many many more. However I pride myself in the fact that I am a good paymaster. I always manage to pay them on time. I have managed to juggle them nicely such that every month without fail, I pay them. Thus it was a shocked when yesterday I received a red letter threatening to cut off my water supply. Apparently I have not paid my water bills for the last few months. What! When? Why? Where?

Bersih 3

It looks like the powers that be will be allowing Bersih 3 to go on albeit with some conditions. Perhaps the chaotic scenes from Bersih 2 resulting from the hardline stand taken by the government and the subsequent backlash it received has taken its toll. This is election year by the way. They can't afford a repeat. So, Bersih 3 will go on ....... peacefully? I hope so. So far so good. If I remember Bersih 2, by now the pro government media would already have gone on a blitz, attacking from all corners. Many arrests would already have been made, with bombs discovered in some corner of KL to add.

What a relief!

What an eventful day. In the morning I had a scare when the back tyre from the passenger side of my car went flat. To compound my problem, my spare tyre was also flat. Like it or not, I had no choice but to drive slowly to the tyre shop, flat tyre or no. Then in the evening I received a call from the bank. Apparently I had left my ATM card there. How it happened I do not know. Sure I was at the bank earlier in the day. Lucky thing nothing untoward happened. My money was still intact. What a relief!

Where have all those years gone to?

From where I'm sitting, KLCC stood majestically in the distance. Nearby KL tower stands out like a rod jutting out for the sky while the other buildings play out their part as the supporting casts. The sky is clear blue where there are no clouds. Otherwise it is white with shades of black in between, a constant reminder of the rain that can be heavy at times. I sit here thinking of yesterday and how it became today. They are like a flash of lightning in my memory. I was a kid, then a teenager, then an adult. My oh my, where have all those years gone to........

Have some sanity back

Feeling real tired and lethargic. Wanted to go jogging but decided against it. Been sneezing quite a bit the past few days, usually a prelude to falling sick, for me at least. I don't know whether the Perkasa group is serious or not but they sure make me laugh. Their statements border on the ridiculous most of the time. Another group by the name of Jati is now making the headlines for much the same reason. How I wish we could have some sanity back!

See you there

Will I be there? I need to be there! All Malaysians need to be there, that is if we care for the future of this country, for our children, for our grandchildren. Will it make a difference? Yes, sure it will. No matter if the other people say otherwise. No matter if other people threaten us. No matter what I will be there! Insha Allah.

Me

A clean electoral roll

It seems to me the next general election will not be any better in terms of fairness and transparency. After six months, the PSC came out with twenty two recommendations but the eight points improvement as demanded by Bersih are hardly met. Only one is taken while the rest are left out. The most important of these, i.e. a clean electoral roll is still not achieved. How can the election be fair when even the most basic of the demand cannot be met?

In reality

The PM has just announced his One Malaysia achievements recently. Don't know about you but it sure has not trickled down to me. The figures might show otherwise but in reality I can hardly feel the changed. Crime is still rampant if the daily news are any indicator. Personally, I don't feel any safer as compared to three years ago. To me, that's the true indicator ....

Stop eating before its full

Since my tummy keeps on getting bigger despite all my best efforts, I decided to revert to the age old wisdom of 'stop eating before the stomach is full' in a bid to bring it down. I don't know where this philosophy came from but who cares as long as it works. Besides, this practise also helps in the health department I was told. It remains to be seen....

The greatest player ever

How far can Messi go? From the way things are going, he sure will go far. This guy is getting better all the time. He is scoring like a centre forward. Yet he is orchestrating play like a midfielder. He runs with the ball tied to his feet, slips through defenders like an eel, scores goal with ease. A complete footballer no doubt. Only the world cup remains elusive. If he manage to win it with Argentina, he will definitely be the greatest player ever.

Busy as ever

Although I am not working, I find myself just as busy. The past two days I have been going out early in the morning and coming back at night. There are always things to do and places to go. If I add on to the things that I wanted to do but didn't because I don't feel like doing it, then I am one busy person all right. So much for not working!

Waiting for dinner

What is there in Ipoh?

Ipoh have been in my radar since I was small. I used to come to the town to visit relatives with my parents. When I had grown up and was working, I kept coming to Ipoh because of work. Thus, over the years, I have become quite familiar with the city. Today, I am back in the city after attending a wedding nearby yesterday and guess what? As a tourist, I am stumped for things to see and do! What is there in Ipoh?