Pejuang Melayu?

The ongoing convention is more like an opposition bashing session. That's all they can talk about I guess. I don't know why people are still being mislead by this group of 'Pejuang Melayu'. Its more like fighting for themselves the way things have been going on. They have certainly done very well indeed. Lots of money, million dollar houses, expensive cars, condos, diamond rings, classy hand bags........rich beyond one's imagination. Meanwhile the Rakyat is left to take the crumbs, like rm500 for example.  

How come?

The Malaysian football team is facing elimination after an insipid performance against Singapore, losing 0-3. The way they played, it would be difficult to win even against Laos. How can we get back to the glory years? We are so far behind in terms of ability, skills and tactical awareness. Japan and Korea has forged so far ahead they are regularly playing in the World cup while we have dropped so far behind the only tournaments we can play are small regional tournaments like the current Suzuki cup. Even that we are finding it tough. Sigh......

There's always a first time

Giving commentary as the bus drives around KL is not as easy as I thought. First of all the bus is moving. Therefore I had to do a bit of a balancing act standing in front of the tourists while doing the talking. Secondly, the bus is moving. For example, Masjid Negara is long gone even before I had finished talking about it. So I had to be fast. Otherwise I'd still be talking about Masjid Negara when the bus is already at Dataran Merdeka. Thirdly, when caught in a jam at places where there's nothing interesting like a museum, a mosque, an interesting buildings or whatever to talk about, what do you do? Keep quiet?  

Anyway, for a first timer, it was an interesting experience. I enjoyed it.

KL Hop on Hop off

My baptism of fire

What a great job

I would love to be a football manager. I get paid to do a job I love. If I achieved success, well and good. If I failed, I will be sacked but its not a problem. I will be laughing all the way to the bank because I will receive a few millions for being sacked. That's not bad for a failure. I will off course take on another manager's job at another football club. The same applies. If I win trophies, well and good. If I failed, I will be sacked but what's the problem? I will be laughing all the way to the bank because I have just added a few million more to my bank account! Wow! A football manager. What a great job to be doing.

Sacked

Roberto De Matteo sacked. What a shocker but should it be? The truth is the Chelsea owner never wanted him as manager in the first place. He was just an interim measure till the end of the season. Unfortunately or fortunately, depending on which way you look at it, against all the odds, he won the Champions league. So how can you sack a manager who had just won for you the biggest trophy in club football? That's why he was given the job, albeit reluctantly. However, at the first sign of trouble, get rid of him and that's what they did. Pity Roberto but then don't worry. He will be richer by millions because of the sacked.

As for QPR, its not a sign anymore. They are in deep shit but then, that's another story.

Hardly making a whimper

Most of the political writers got it wrong. They thought the Nurul Izzah infamous or famous statement will be a big issue at the PAS Muktamar. How wrong can they be! The Muktamar went on with the statement hardly making a whimper. In fact nobody even mentioned it except for the Ketua Dewan Ulama. Even then it was because he was asked about it by the press and he dismissed it outright as insignificant. It just goes to show how far the political writers are from the mind of a PAS supporter. If they know the PAS supporters well, they will that know that indeed it is insignificant. It is nothing because she didn't say it the way the UMNO press wants us to believe. Again, it is only the uninitiated who are once again being make a fool for believing.

By the roadside

It don't look too promising. The clouds already forming. They are getting darker by the minute, a sure sign that rain is imminent. Anyway I'm just minutes from my destination so nothing too worry about, Insha Allah. As usual, the BN controlled papers have gone to town about the prayer by PAS for the destruction of their enemies. The way they put it, it is as if PAS have gone mad. That's how they try to put it. To make PAS look as bad as possible. For the uninitiated, they will believe what they read. They will not be allowed to see the truth for the truth is bad news for the ruling coalition.      

Yeh yeh, no rain

What a day! Until 3pm today, the sky is still holding firm. The sun is still shining brightly. There's little or no cloud in the sky. A little bit of wind but that's it. No tell tale sign of imminent rain anywhere. If it remains this way, it will be a great change from the past few days where it rains from afternoon onwards. I can safely wash my car knowing that it would last at least a day, Insha Allah. 

For just an egg muffin

 I drove passed by McDonald this morning on the way back home from jogging. I was surprised to find the road leading to it clogged with cars. Inside McDonald I noticed the crowd was unusually big. I have not seen anything like it before. There were so many vehicles I couldn't get into the area to buy my newspaper from the roadside vendor just in front of McD. I had to park some distance away and walked. I asked him why are there so many people this morning? He told me McDonald is giving away free food! Oh! I can understand the crowd but when I got home, I happened to see the advertisement in the paper. Its only free Egg McMuffin. Not a free meal. Aiyah.....why so kiasu one! For just an egg muffin........

Melaka tree

The oldest mosque in Malaysia

 Masjid Kg Hulu, Melaka. This mosque was built in 1728, during the time of the Dutch rule. The roof is multi tiered, perhaps influenced from the Chinese. Not surprising since the man who was commissioned to build it was one Dato Shamsuddin bin Arom, who was originally from China . Only the wooden pillars and the roof structure is original it seems. The rest such as the wooden walls have been replaced by concrete.

Inside view

It was drizzling when I got here hence the raincoat.

This mosque is situated along Jalan Kg Hulu, walking distance from the famous Jonker street.

The Kedah Sultanate

Kedah was an Islamic Malay sultanate long before Melaka ever was, in the year 1136. Before that it was a Hindu kingdom. There were eight of the Hindu rulers before the ninth converted to Islam. From then on, it became an Islamic kingdom. The sultanate survived till today with the present Sultan who is the now our King. Perhaps these facts are a new discovery because I never learn them in school. So, thus it mean that Islam came to our shores in 1136 or just a little bit earlier?

Assalamualaikum

I'm more than six months now. Yesterday my mother started giving me food from a bowl. I don't know what it was but its a difference for sure. At last I'm taking more than just my mother's milk but I still like my mother's milk better. Nothing can beat it. 

I don't like my photo too much cause I'm not smiling. Next time my father should tell me when he is taking a photograph. Then I will smile, just like him.

Wither nuclear?

After the near nuclear disaster in Japan, the nuclear power industry has been on the receiving end most of the time. Japan decided to stop all their running nuclear power plants in the country until an audit has been done on their safety. Until today, I believe only one or two is running again. Germany meanwhile decided to do away with it all together. Recently they discovered a crack at a nuclear power plant unit in Korea during a routine maintenance. Then they discovered another crack at another unit in the same plant. Although nothing alarming, it still add up to the worry that countries have about nuclear power. Should we go nuclear or not? 

Worth a visit

Yesterday I heard of another place with some history in it. Apparently Islam arrived at this place hundreds of years ago, around the time when Melaka was at its glorious peak. An Islamic preacher from Melaka made his way here after falling out with the Melaka Sultan at that time. Not surprising because this place is less than 100km away from Melaka. His grave is to be found here, purported to be the oldest Islamic grave in Malaysia. There's also a few mysterious stones here. Today, no one can quite make what it is or was. The grave plus the stones have been made into the historical site of Pengkalan Kempas, a small town in Negeri Sembilan, about 40km south of Port Dickson. 

Men never learn

Why would a high flying general get involved in a scandal that resulted in his downfall. Or for that matter, why would men get involved in scandals knowing full well that they are putting their career at risk. There have been many examples, the most famous was the one involving a President by the name of Bill. In his case however, he successfully negotiated through the minefields after he was discovered, overcame it and still remain a hugely popular President. Unfortunately in most other cases, the result is a rapid fall from grace. But men never learn. The case of the general who became head of CIA certainly was not the first and it will not be the last either.

That's what it is

Just because she is from the opposition, there was a big hue and cry as if she had done a terrible crime. If she was from the ruling party, nothing would have happened. Many people from the ruling party have said even worse things but they have been conveniently swept under the carpet. That's the truth. Sad it may be but that's what our country has descended into after 55 years of BN rule. A country dominated by hypocrites who would not hesitate to right a wrong or to wrong a right just so that the unsuspecting people will be decieved.

The oldest mosque in Malaysia

I have been to Melaka so many times I have lost count the number of times. I have visited most of the historical sites of Melaka such as the A Famosa, the Stadhuys, St Paul's Church plus the other attractions like the Portuguese Village, Bt China and many many others. However there's one thing I have not done. I have not visited the oldest mosque on Malaysia which is the Masjid Kg Hulu. Next week I am going to Melaka. Insha Allah I will find the time to visit this mosque, which dates back to 1728.

Putrajaya

View of Putrajaya from the PICC

Taman Botani

The swing states

Obama received about 56 million while Romney received 54 million voters. That's a difference of two million voters only. That's how close it was but the American system is such that it translates into 326 collegiate votes for Obama as against 206 for Romney. That's a huge difference! There are states that traditionally will always vote Democrat while there are states that will traditionally always vote Republican. So the fight was only in the swing states, about eight of them, so called because these states can either go to Democrat or to Republican, depending on which way the swing goes. Obama won all of them except one. That spells the end for Romney.

So much diference

Jogging in the morning is great because you have lots and lots of energy after a good night sleep. The body feels fresh while the mind is eager and ready to go. That's what I have been doing since I retired. However, yesterday I went jogging at about five in the evening. What a difference it made. I felt tired throughout. Finishing a round was a struggle. My body aches all over. Many times I thought of quitting halfway because I was just not up to it. It was terrible. I wonder now how I managed to do it while I was working. Then I used to jog after work. I never experienced such pain like yesterday. And to think that it is only one and a half years ago! Can such a short time make so much difference? 

He can't wait forever

The US presidential election is over. Obama will be the president for another four years. When is our turn? Thus far, Najib has been unable to find a suitable date. The longer he waits, the worse it will become for him for the window is closing rapidly. He has less than six months now. My take is he will wait till the end of the term. Why? Simply because he just couldn't find a date that will give him a win. BN will lose any date he chooses. That's why he has been stalling but for how long? He can't wait forever!

Twelve ringgit for a cuppa

Yesterday I had my most expensive tea ever. Twelve ringgit for a cuppa! It was at a cafe in Bangsar. You would think that with prices like that, nobody would want to be eating and drinking at this place but surprise surprise, I certainly was not alone. There were many other customers as well. I guess money does not matter for those with loads of them.  

Caught out

Many things have been said about the gold investment schemes and the companies that were raided recently. Most of them are not true. The companies did not take illegal deposit. They sell gold. A special license is not needed to sell gold. Just the normal business license which they have. Gold is physically given when a payment is made. There's also no necessity to have license to appoint agents. They are just like other agents selling insurance, unit trust, tupperwares etc. Nothing concrete has come out after a month of investigations. Meantime investors are left in a lurch................    

It can't be a joke

So now we know why they bought the submarines! Its to prevent another Portuguese like attack on Melaka recurring! Who said so? The navy chief said so. He should know, shouldn't he? Yes, he should know. That's why he said so. Why? You think its a joke? He thinks its not a joke. That's why he said it, even if millions of other Malaysians think its a joke. Its a serious matter, one that warrants spending billions of ringgit of the taxpayers money. Surely it can't be a joke. If it is, then it is a real costly one. 

North East Monsoon

Its the rainy season now, the North East Monsoon. I always thought this monsoon only blows in the east affecting Kelantan, Trengganu and Pahang but no! These days its not true anymore. Selangor has been raining and raining almost everyday. The other day my usual jogging track was flooded making it impossible to run. Its noon time now. Already I see the cloud forming and the sky getting dark. For sure it will rain this evening.  

KLIA

A visit to KLIA with course mates.  

Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur, this is where it all began. More than a hundred years ago, a group of Chinese tin miners and a few Malays set up camp here after traveling upriver all the way from Klang. Their objective? To look for tin. From here they track through thick jungles to reach Ampang where they found what they were looking for. Many died from malaria but tin was such a lucrative business, the setback was only temporary. In no time at all, Kuala Lumpur flourish although at that time, it was more like a frontier town.