tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22567307262681956092024-03-12T19:38:44.280-07:00The Sheepman's Blog陈慧思。Wei See Chan。http://www.blogger.com/profile/04139324710172794910noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2256730726268195609.post-18017671373642743152009-04-17T23:37:00.000-07:002009-04-17T23:38:43.584-07:00A Catis<br />finally<br />killed.陈慧思。Wei See Chan。http://www.blogger.com/profile/04139324710172794910noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2256730726268195609.post-16920196214613149302009-03-15T02:46:00.001-07:002009-03-15T03:15:57.268-07:00Grave RevisitingUncle and dad asked me on the phone, if I will go back for Cheng Ming. I asked back lazily, when is Cheng Ming? I know I should not have asked this question for I can tell Cheng Ming falls on every 4th or 5th April if I cared to give it a thought for a second.<br /><br />But I never care if Cheng Ming is coming this time. To tell the truth, I have totally forgotten this event before uncle and dad asked me the question. When I think back, I know how harmful my response sounds to uncle and dad.<br /><br />Cheng Ming is a day for family to get together and visit to the grave of their ancestors. Uncle and dad take this as an important day in their calendar, but I sounded like I do not really care about this event. Yes, I am busy with works and study, and I have friends to meet every night. I have ten thousand reasons for not going back home at this juncture. But for uncle and dad who live a static and simple life in kampung, Cheng Ming is a big day to be remembered.<br /><br />Life has changed. And I have changed. I still remember how I longed for Cheng Ming when I was a little girl. Those days in kampong, after Chinese New Year, I would look forward to Cheng Ming, not because I longed to pray at my grandma's grave, but for the reason I liked my quiet life to be stirred by traditional events.<br /><br />Over the years, the content of my life keeps adding on. I study, I work and I have different friend's groups to hang out with. But the content of life for uncle remains the same. He still has his simple dishes everyday and has his TV2 seven o'clock drama on every night. While he is sitting at the dining room watching TV, and at the same time counting for the day of my return, perhaps I am drinking with friends chatting about politics, love and sex, and minding others' business.<br /><br />I am no longer a simple girl he thinks I am. Cheng Ming is no longer a big day in my calendar simply because I need no traditional events to give me excitement now.<br /><br />There is change.<br /><br />Change is not something good or bad. It is just a journey of no return ticket. You can feel good thinking of the old time but you can never return to the earlier stage after things have changed. I can plan for a return to hometown for Cheng Ming but instead of doing so for the reason I long for it, I now take it as my responsibility to go home as a daughter of uncle and dad.<br /><br />The fact is, there is a grave in everybody's heart. Once dead, memory is only something for us to pay visits, not holding on.陈慧思。Wei See Chan。http://www.blogger.com/profile/04139324710172794910noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2256730726268195609.post-52279801119536105562009-02-25T21:31:00.000-08:002009-02-25T22:20:13.979-08:00I am back againOur library has changed a lot. It has turned to a bright and clean place. There is no place for each face to hide. This is not a good change for a crying face. So I have to make sure I do not get into sorrow here. It probably means, I should not talk to faceless emotional strangers and just concentrate on my books and e-journals.陈慧思。Wei See Chan。http://www.blogger.com/profile/04139324710172794910noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2256730726268195609.post-40488818004377876332008-10-12T03:40:00.000-07:002009-03-15T03:05:34.379-07:00Family Time, in court<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiShI9LQMoS6mqX5cSAl_bCasRh6seziStPfBYo5rRMe6-b__n23hPSQA0NQK5cVbrWXavwAvsXGDh8xTUugfMFN8doP8B919G1fmxb_6V6nYlUA_RfAK0LWvkpMIxpezSuYAuLBU2CsVA/s1600-h/raja+in+court.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256218932314721266" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiShI9LQMoS6mqX5cSAl_bCasRh6seziStPfBYo5rRMe6-b__n23hPSQA0NQK5cVbrWXavwAvsXGDh8xTUugfMFN8doP8B919G1fmxb_6V6nYlUA_RfAK0LWvkpMIxpezSuYAuLBU2CsVA/s320/raja+in+court.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">They brought him to the court before 8am. I arrived around 8, Marina and her daughter were already there. I said hi to Marina and asked her, "not yet arrived"? She told me he had arrived, he was inside the van. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">There was a white van with all windows in deep black. I could not see him but I smiled at the window and said hi.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">After half an hour, the police yet brought him out. Before he was brought out, they put a "Do not cross" yellow line a few meters from the van and asked everybody to stand behind the line.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Supporters shouted "Pete, be strong" once they saw him out. Among them, Azmi Sharom, respected UM law assoc prof cum columnist, and a blind lady wearing "Free RPK" t-shirt. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Raja went in the court. Supporters gave him a big applause. His wife hugged him tight and they kissed. His supporters hugged him and told him be strong. At that moment, I had tears in my eyes. Despite wearing journalist tag, I went to him and shook his hand. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">I was thinking, government politicians could be that powerful. They could use whatever law for whatever purpose, each and every government engine is ready for them to abuse. They could lock any healthy and cheerful looking person up and turn him/her into a weak and pale person spending every moment sitting in a dark place hoping for a bit more time to spend with family and friends.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Raja is there, sitting in dark every day and night, when I go to work, go shopping, when I thinking of which restaurant to go, enjoying massage. I tell myself, he's there in dark every moment. I must not forget. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">I can do very little to help. As a journalist, the best help I can think of is to keep asking the Prime Minister questions on ISA. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">On the press conference Abdullah announced not contesting in UMNO election, I asked him, "You had just anounced your reform agenda, I'd like to know if u'd consider to abolish ISA before you step down?"</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">He said there're things get done fast, and things that take time. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">I asked back, "Is that mean you'll not?" He ignored my question and turned to another reporter.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Yesterday in Gerakan, Hong Siang (my ex-colleague) asked him almost the same question. Abdullah said he answered the question to him before and his answer would not change. </span><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">He then said he wanted to stop the press conference. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">I immediately thraw out this, "how about release of ISA detainees?" As he had already raised his body from the seat, I asked him the same question again. He just answered, "nanti dulu lah". </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">(going to dinner, to be continued...)</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span>陈慧思。Wei See Chan。http://www.blogger.com/profile/04139324710172794910noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2256730726268195609.post-69179912867732785812008-10-02T01:52:00.000-07:002008-10-02T02:12:16.395-07:00To AyahI still remember the days Ayah took me by his green scooter, turning round and round in our small village. In those evenings after dinner, he used to let me seated in front of the scooter, and took me to the wind.<br /><br />After I grown up, uncle told me that our neighbour ever asked him, “Why do you let that Malay guy take Ashi, aren’t you scared he will take her away?” No, uncle never worried about that. Ayah is a simple good man with a stable job. For his “P. Ramlee” nature (open, nice, kind, moderate, like to joke), he is popular among the villagers. Some of the aunties, uncles and kids in my village used to follow my way of calling him. They called him “Ayah”.<br /><br />As ayah only speaks Malay, sometimes the illiterate villagers find it difficult to communicate with him. Despite the language constraint, ayah and uncle get along very well. Uncle would mix some Cantonese into their conversation and to my surprise ayah could actually understand him. After years spending together in the same neighbourhood, uncle improved a lot in his Malay language.<br /><br />My uncle is a big fan of Chinese songs of thirties to sixties and ayah shows a great interest in them. Sometimes Uncle lends his discs to ayah but ayah also has his own collection of Chinese oldies.<br /><br />As a Telekom staff, Ayah was assigned to work in this remote area almost 40 years ago, and never leave. He is part of the village and the village is part of him.<br /><br />However, during these four decades, things changed a lot. Although love between these two families can never change, some precious moments have sunk in memories, and will never come back.<br /><br />I remember in my school days, ayah liked to “yam char”(drink tea) with uncle and me in a Chinese café at the main street of our village. There used to be a satay stall operated only during Chinese New Year and Hari Raya. Ayah and his wife (I call her kai mah, not Mak. It is Cantonese way of calling godmother. She is a Chinese) together with uncle and I would have one day sitting together at the café and ordered satays for our lunch during these festive seasons. Ayah would be busy saying hi to friends, and proudly announced to all his friends, I was his anak angkat. And I, I would be busy spending time with the satays.<br /><br />I did not notice when it all started but things changed from there.<br /><br />Since then, ayah and kai mah never steps into any Chinese café in our village. And the Malay satay hawker never set up his stall in front of the Chinese café during festive seasons. And since then, kai mah puts on her scarf when going outside of the house.<br /><br />Until one day a Malay male student politely refused to shake my hand, and a Malay cashier in supermarket used a plastic bag to wrap her hand before holding my pork tin food and tin beer, I yet came to realize that ayah and kai mah have been taken by a fierce stream running down from some fundamental minds. This big stream is going no way but heading back to this piece of fantasy land created in the minds of this group of religion fundamentalists in the country.<br /><br />I have no idea if there will be happiness on this piece of land, but I am quite sure it will be a land with no pork, no alcoholic drink, no Malay sitting together with Chinese enjoying tea in a Chinese café.<br /><br />_________________________<br /><br />Selamat Hari Raya and maaf zahir batin, to ayah & kai mah and all my Muslim friends out there.陈慧思。Wei See Chan。http://www.blogger.com/profile/04139324710172794910noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2256730726268195609.post-90332651482668001882008-05-14T08:37:00.001-07:002008-05-14T09:38:14.666-07:00EscapeDriving alone on this familiar highway, Nirvana in the air. Motorcyclists come, and go. Everybody is going somewhere but the clouds on top never give me any hint on where I shall go. The weather is fine but I feel like hiding somewhere. I shall hide in the music, or the lyrics, in anything light and unsensible. There is something close to me disappeared from my life. Something I'm not thinking of getting it back. Nevertheless the city doesn't look cute and this life becoming more and more unfamiliar to me. Driving alone on this familiar highway, I feel like hiding away, away from everything meaningful to me.陈慧思。Wei See Chan。http://www.blogger.com/profile/04139324710172794910noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2256730726268195609.post-82448237104456371802008-01-15T08:24:00.000-08:002008-01-15T08:43:39.295-08:00Another Spoon-feeding Story<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVXHuLaAtgqDdXNXvxfGBYbfKCZkN_phl-Sp6FUEWIHDfKiSusRyHghXW4U7_wE0cQkStrcI2lRkJUZqJ5aGcv66ZJlBJI2-qh65KXrXSEn11N4_3AD0np25b3vGmfSBCv55Q6nn-_bOA/s1600-h/uncyclopedia.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5155743950695819506" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVXHuLaAtgqDdXNXvxfGBYbfKCZkN_phl-Sp6FUEWIHDfKiSusRyHghXW4U7_wE0cQkStrcI2lRkJUZqJ5aGcv66ZJlBJI2-qh65KXrXSEn11N4_3AD0np25b3vGmfSBCv55Q6nn-_bOA/s320/uncyclopedia.jpg" border="0" /></a>It seems like our Internal Security Ministry is spoon-feeding our mainstream media.<br /><br />According to Merdeka Review’s exclusive report today, the ministry has recently sent a letter dated 11th Jan to mainstream media, instructing them not to quote contents of “<a href="http://uncyclopedia.org/wiki/Malaysia">uncyclopedia</a>” as it wrongly describes Malaysia, while making fun of and humiliating the country.<br /><br />The letter was signed by Che Din bin Yusoh on behalf of Ketua Setiausaha of the ministry Andul Aziz Mohd Yusof. The letter (which in my opinion serves as a spoon) says, Uncyclopedia contains offensive information, stirred with seditious, incorrect and false information. For instances, history of Malaysia, cultures, name, flag, national leaders etc of Malaysia.<br /><br />This is really funny. Anyone surfs Uncyclopedia would know its descriptions about Malaysia is meant to make fun of Malaysia (sadly the jokes are based on certain ugly facts which are not officially recognized). I thought not a single person in this world would take it seriously until I read <a href="http://www.merdekareview.com/news.php?n=5724">this news</a>. This is really unbelievable, really really unbelievable, until Merdeka Review mistook Uncyclopedia/wiki as Wikipedia earlier today.<br /><br />No, I do not think Internal Security Ministry is that stupid to pass such a stupid instruction. There must be an interesting reason behind…. Mm… tell me, is it a creative way of humiliating people working in mainstream media?陈慧思。Wei See Chan。http://www.blogger.com/profile/04139324710172794910noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2256730726268195609.post-84980290826718349022008-01-09T19:42:00.000-08:002008-01-09T20:30:15.536-08:00Chuang Tzu's notion of God<span style="font-family:courier new;">Taoists accepted the naturalistic conception of the universe, but in their system, by a peculiar combination, there is still place for God, immortality, and freedom; man is still one with the universe, if only he can “see things under the form of eternity”</span><br /><br />(1975: 5). Yu-Lan Fung. 1975. Chuang Tzu: A new selected translation with an exposition of the philosophy of Kuo Hsiang. New York: Gordon Press<br /><br />—————————————————————————————<br /><br />The term “God” or “Heaven” is commonly found in Chuang Tzu’s works. However I think his notion of God is different with religious God as in Christianity, Islam and other religions, which generally means the Creator. “God” termed by Chuang Tzu is not explicit in meaning. However it bears the meaning of the unseen force that governs the nature by a set of eternal and absolute law. The following passages found in Chuang Tzu’s works hint us on this:<br /><br />The Tao of God operates ceaselessly; and all things are produced… (126: 157)<br /><br />…your life is not your own. It is the delegated harmony of God; your individuality is not your individuality is not your own, It is the delegated adaptability of God; your posterity is not your own. It is the delegated exuviae of God; you move, but know not how. You are at rest, but know not how. You are at rest, but know not why. You taste, but know not the cause. These are the operation of God’s laws. How then should you get Tao as to have it for your own? (1926: 282)<br /><br />…what is it to be embraced in the obliterating unity of God? It is this. With reference to positive and negative, to that which is so and that which is not so, ---- if the positive is really positive, it must necessarily be different from its negative: there is no room for argument. And if that which is so really is so, it must necessarily be different from that which is not so: there is no room for argument. (1926: 31)<br /><br />However God in Chuang Tzu’s sense is not the Creator of the universe that created all the beings, nor image of the Creator who passes divine passages he wants to produce. For Chuang Tzu, beings spontaneously produce themselves and natural means everything spontaneously becomes what it is. As Chuang Tzu’s great commentator Kuo Tsiang puts it, “everything is as it is by nature, not made to be so. Therefore, when Chuang Tzu spoke of heaven (t’ien,天, also translated as God by other translators,like Giles from Cambridge University), he meant the natural, not the blue sky… T’ien is the general name of all things. There is nothing that can be specifically called t’ien. Who can be the Lord that commands things? Everything produces itself and it not created by others. This is the way of nature.” (1975: 45)<br /><br />Chuang Tzu’s notion of God is not religious nor it sacred. Perhaps this is the reason why Chinese prominent philosopher Yu-lan Fung tends not to translate the Chinese term “天” as God but heaven and nature (1975: 44). Meanwhile another translator Burton Watson translates the character as “heaven” or “heavenly” in most cases (1968: 25). Chuang Tzu’s notion of God or heaven is definitely very different with Francis Bacon’s notion of God. Bacon was a Christian who believed in Christian God. For Bacon, God is the Creator of the universe who set the law of na 天, pronounced as “tian” (t’ien)in Chinese. 天道is translated as “the Tao of God” by Herbert A. Giles in Chuang Tzu: Mystic, Moralist, and Social Reformer (1926: 157). However the word 天is also translated as heaven and nature, see 1975: 44.陈慧思。Wei See Chan。http://www.blogger.com/profile/04139324710172794910noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2256730726268195609.post-21275390729553320992007-12-16T09:04:00.000-08:002007-12-16T09:51:01.028-08:00The World, we areJust you and me, we can make a better world, believe not?<br /><br />I received an email from my friend Weng San just now. I opened it, and found <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7fog5EjJTc&feature=related">this</a>. It tells me that I alone is the world, and I can make a change. And you too. You are the world, you can do something to make it better.<br /><br />Yeah, this words sound idealistic. However we were all idealistic before, weren't we? Have you lost your ability to be idealistic?<br /><br />Most of the times, it is the most simple belief that makes things happen. I am glad I still believe. As I believe, I celebrated Yellow Saturday again by giving out free bananas at Taman Bahagia yesterday. I couldn't reach many people by doing this. But at least I reached some.<br /><br />This song is dedicated to the Africans by American singers. They are linked up, although there is a big ocean between them. There is no ocean between us, shall we lend our hands to our 31 Indian friends who are now in lockups because of joining peaceful assembly? Shall we come together and say NO to ISA detention of 5 HINDRAF leaders?<br /><br />Gerakan Mansuhkan ISA will organise a peaceful assembly at SUHAKAM office tomorrow (17 DEC)10.30am to send SUHAKAM a memorandum on ISA detention. SUARAM will also organise another peaceful assembly to uphold right to peaceful assembly at the same venue Wednesday 11am. Give your support if you can.陈慧思。Wei See Chan。http://www.blogger.com/profile/04139324710172794910noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2256730726268195609.post-90042541780077597232007-12-12T08:43:00.000-08:002007-12-12T08:55:52.066-08:00Ops Lalang Reborn2007.12.11. Sitting in front of my computer, kept receiving sms and calls updating news at Parliment. Tian Chua arrested, Khalid Ibrahim arrested, a 13 year-old boy arrested, and finally my friends Chin Huat, Swee Seng, Gayatry arrested. My feeling is that, Operasi Lalang reborn today, after buried for 20 years. After 20 years, our history repeats, dictatorship is still dictatorship, it is only the face of the dictator changed.陈慧思。Wei See Chan。http://www.blogger.com/profile/04139324710172794910noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2256730726268195609.post-27485628035587608402007-12-04T04:51:00.000-08:002007-12-04T08:31:54.152-08:00Banana's Day<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGQbbWziGHA0qpCUHxZ34wSq8BWB66ekyk4596PJyJT-xusiTfHN4o-_Rbz9mna4kIVnnzMKYgg7ThDhtf9PkYOlzH7mS4YpVKBOzM3-a0n3u6owBkUjb5JBx1tt_RD_DZd6Qm7EfcZxw/s1600-h/banana+gals.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5140099795808797554" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGQbbWziGHA0qpCUHxZ34wSq8BWB66ekyk4596PJyJT-xusiTfHN4o-_Rbz9mna4kIVnnzMKYgg7ThDhtf9PkYOlzH7mS4YpVKBOzM3-a0n3u6owBkUjb5JBx1tt_RD_DZd6Qm7EfcZxw/s320/banana+gals.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>I have a yellow singlet with some powerpuff girls flying on it. So I put it on on a hot Saturday. I unparked my car, grasped a yellow birthday girl, and rushed to Chin Huat at OUG shopping mall. Bananas were there, awaiting us. </p><p>"Free banana, free banana", if you happened to pass by, you got a free banana and a free smile. People looked at me with "???" on their faces. Some people took a banana from me, and walked away from me. Some asked me a question before plucking a banana, "are you going to sell something after this?" One specified the question, "are you asking people to sign for Digi after this?" </p><p>"No no no, I am not selling anything, I am celebrating yellow Saturday." </p><p>"What is that, yellow Saturday?""Oh you remember there was a demonstration in town calling for electoral reform? After that people wear something yellow on every Saturday to keep the momentum." ...... (some more some more explanation)</p><p>Most of the people knocked their head after listening to my lecture. One audience asked for another banana after listening. An aunty happened to thank me, after knowing I am not from the opposition and I bought the bananas by my own money. She is one of many Malaysians that believe there are a lot of lopholes in our electoral system and there is a need to reform. She took a banana from me, and took another one for her husband. </p><p>Beside me, there were some guys promoting credit cards. No kidding, our business was far better than them. 150 bananas were given away in just an hour, according to <a href="http://chinhuatw.wordpress.com/">Chin Huat</a>. :-) There were only 5 of us.</p>陈慧思。Wei See Chan。http://www.blogger.com/profile/04139324710172794910noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2256730726268195609.post-49036356960382892022007-11-30T08:10:00.000-08:002007-12-04T04:48:01.842-08:00Me, standing among Indian MalaysiansI am proud of you, many many Indians in the country. You have finally stood up to reclaim your rights.<br /><br />I reached KLCC 7 something in the morning. I reached, without expecting such a big crowd. Thousands of your faces passed me by, every face seems to have something to tell. Life has never been easy for you, I know. And so you came, bringing pictures of Gandhi and banners claiming your own rights, as a Malaysian, and as a humanbeing with dignity.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsLfg_s6QzPcsNcbzvFyo9oSY9jHXh0-P7O8vDpsQbPN1C5VDcQ4Pa8OwVwcQcmXysLqvTiYXI8ezYrPs4d56jxny_qqcAReWhB199d_LwiU9tjSIXr17uY92P_1OgZ3U7OPWgL9bIOfg/s1600-r/20071130+hindraf+-+advertisement.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5138696704653549826" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnNnUTm1sS6qU6bRtKp2OSIDKIcsm7Bw-cm5P-RayfoYKefUnHAFPZjEfqjnO-iRCl4o40A8zqPdhvHB0Lv2p5tDlMhKiP5QY5iEp6_EWKSbkZMGkzRpxMj8ASUrhjSaQv1VNVmws1Zk8/s320/20071130+hindraf+-+advertisement.jpg" border="0" /></a>You stood peacefully under some billboards of Petronas. Children from different races playing happily together in the advertisements. "One legacy, one destiny", one of the billboards said. A peaceful multiracial country, this is the image they always try to portrait. There was happiness projected in the images. However it seems to me boring, and surreal. There you stood peacefully below those images. Your dark skin, your smiles, your courage and even your fear deep inside your heart making you so real, and so energetic.<br /><br />To tell the truth, I was in fear standing among you, thousands of you. But after a while I knew that that feeling had no justification. Each and everyone of you I met was so nice to me, you talked to me in such a way that you never ever worried I was not a real journalist but someone from special branch. You were just simple and nice. And yet, people call you thugs.<br /><br />Hi guys, I did not enjoy much peaceful moments with you, for the water cannon and tear gase came fiercefully after a while. Doses of tear gase fired directly toward your bodies. My tears dropped seeing you been dispersed in such a manner, it must be a result of the mixture of tear gase, anger and feeling of simpathy.<br /><br />In a few occasions, I caught too much tear gase and could not stand properly. You offered help without hesitation. You could spare water in your bottle for yourself but you chose to pass it to me without asking who I am, where I come from. I must thank you. Thank you for treating me nice, without looking at the colour of my skin. Certainly, I felt more secure among you, than among the police. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy08Mp_qlnNG_-2X-qTH7fGZLiU1AgF0ZOPHYYTaEohF1B6iLcnlt5vIeBsRrXp9OrooXen1CUHwsW7tOIW-WeIM8a3v-PCw5nJ0kwZJtK7aSKflR0gFhjm9Qd5GvXUkh8enPMKxFcsQ0/s1600-r/n071125_15.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5138697207164723474" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJAMQ-XI829k_4_9VQDnLoF0CkgW-e6j8SyLEKROxinDK9YUw-7Dt7WEC44DA6yscnOnq3S55fSzBjJd9z3L5OkV1Ou9nMtYmAIuUDDBgWvmr6HOu39Xvj6CE6EhFSR9c027ZGq0E-a3c/s320/n071125_15.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The police fired tear gases again. Again, and again. Are those doses of tear gase going to expired? I heard someone wondered. I rather believe that it was, because I see no reason the police had to use such heavy force to disperse you, and me.<br /><br />It was a sad day for me. And after reading newspapers the next day, I know there are many sad things to come. Are you going to run away from this? No, I think you are going to prove me that you are going to face this with courage and wisdom, together with other ethnic groups in the country.<br /><br /><span style="color:#000099;">P/S: I understand that some people are uneasy with the rally for it only focuses on Indian rights in the country. I do not see problem minority groups stand up for their own rights. Just as I do not think there is any problem the indigenius come out and fight for their land. If there are problems of discrimination in the country and there are certain groups being marginalised in this country, let us admit it. Let us be realistic also, if this is another rally calling for equality of all Malaysians, Indians' problems can never be highlighted.<br /><br />However I do agree that HINDRAF the organiser of the rally should engage other civil society groups and other races to join and support the appeals of the Indians. If the appeals are rational and put properly, it can surely gain supports from other ethnic groups. My point is that, if there is a way to stop politicians from labelling you as a racist, why not? Nevertheless leadership of HINDRAF seems does not really care about choosing a better strategy. The Sunday rally also seems to me less organised.<br /><br />Question now: how is HINDRAF going to lead such a big crowd? I hope HINDRAF can guide its followers to the root of the problems and find out facts about other ethnic groups in the country. While a big number of Indians living in poor conditions, a number of Malays and Chinese also not living easily. Besides discriminative policies of the government, problems lie on selfish government politicians who utilise such policies for their own purposes (money, power, women etc). </span><br /><span style="color:#000099;"></span><br /><span style="color:#000099;">The leadership of the country is the problem creator, not the Malay people, HINDRAF, please make this very clear to those nice people I met in the rally.</span>陈慧思。Wei See Chan。http://www.blogger.com/profile/04139324710172794910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2256730726268195609.post-63946866405212347532007-11-13T03:19:00.000-08:002007-11-13T04:13:38.302-08:00Again, the ministry bans reports on BERSIH<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHn2oOAHH10TxEx-vi0uOKsb5xC2NzoGntZ8_Ly4zLdZF-faA3V-ok3879ceUgyCiatQ1pJADg8Y6SJ6LBIC_HS6IiFvoShGgugW3t0KWoObdne97rAPTMAPEILhjSVPC1ERrqvUjfGkw/s1600-h/n071110_24.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132292019910150434" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHn2oOAHH10TxEx-vi0uOKsb5xC2NzoGntZ8_Ly4zLdZF-faA3V-ok3879ceUgyCiatQ1pJADg8Y6SJ6LBIC_HS6IiFvoShGgugW3t0KWoObdne97rAPTMAPEILhjSVPC1ERrqvUjfGkw/s320/n071110_24.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>Here I quote <a href="http://www.merdekareview.com/news.php?n=5344"><strong>Merdeka Review's exclusive report</strong> </a>published at 5:58pm today:<br /><br />"After Ministry of Internal security had verbally instructed mainstream media not to give any media coverage to BERSIH at the beginning of this month, the ministry called up a meeting with the editor of various news agency again today to deliver another instruction: do not publish too much news about BERSIH."<br /><br />Che Din bin Yusoh, Secretary of Bahagian Kawalan Penerbitan Dan Teks Al-Quran told Merdeka Review today, the ministry gathered editor in-chief from various newspaper to "exchange views" on how should the media play their role objectively and be responsible.<br /><br />He further mentioned, the instruction given by the ministry was to give less coverage to BERSIH, and papers should seek comments on this issue from "reliable bodies", such as Majlis Keselamatan Negara.<br /><br />He then told the online Chinese media there were 20 representatives from newspapers turned up. Another source revealed, the meeting was headed by Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof, chief secretary of the ministry.</div>陈慧思。Wei See Chan。http://www.blogger.com/profile/04139324710172794910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2256730726268195609.post-80658654854119935632007-11-08T07:33:00.000-08:002007-11-08T08:09:48.956-08:00Long toI cannot see star here. And the night is long. I had a long day in a stupid meeting. And yet you leave me such a long night. I am living a long life. There will be another long day. Another long night.陈慧思。Wei See Chan。http://www.blogger.com/profile/04139324710172794910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2256730726268195609.post-38165933143895775432007-11-06T06:51:00.000-08:002007-11-23T20:41:20.109-08:00It might not be loveIt is pretty quiet here. And the sheep is here.<br />All alone, it sits beside a seed of rose, waiting for it to grow.<br />The seed remains silent. And sometimes, silence hurts.<br />The grass carpet is green and looks talkative<br />but the tiny little sheep has got no one to talk to.<br /><br />It is waiting for the rose.<br />It knows one day some greeny little things will pop up from the seed<br />And with the mixture of tear drops and sunshine, the plant can produce a rose.<br />Yes a rose, a rose that has an impatient face.<br /><br />It doesn't matter, as long as it is a rose that comes from the arrogant seed,<br />the sheep speaks to itself.<br /><br />It might not be a rose that finally blooms from the plant, who knows?<br />The careless little sheep might have mistaken a durian seed for a seed of rose,<br />the grass speaks to itself.<br /><br />No one can tell the next.<br />You have to just sit down, and wait and see.陈慧思。Wei See Chan。http://www.blogger.com/profile/04139324710172794910noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2256730726268195609.post-53724921329215091062007-08-29T09:28:00.000-07:002007-08-29T10:20:50.406-07:00Welcome onboard, Mr Teoh :-)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwP5_go69jQw2oExAiruG5He3-JqIF3vDiWF1dY8VJoCqaqmpq7E6oRgoYjxxpLIMRZRi0zbXAszq40Mug3hYLzUeJ46nt_ELzX_rooBiAYb0Ld3jqtDMEhGC2Ntx2m4VZmj6n4wHrlDw/s1600-h/2nd+anniversary+bigger.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5104160608464407714" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwP5_go69jQw2oExAiruG5He3-JqIF3vDiWF1dY8VJoCqaqmpq7E6oRgoYjxxpLIMRZRi0zbXAszq40Mug3hYLzUeJ46nt_ELzX_rooBiAYb0Ld3jqtDMEhGC2Ntx2m4VZmj6n4wHrlDw/s320/2nd%252Banniversary%252Bbigger.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>What is this about? <a href="http://www.koolgeek.liquidblade.com/">Koolgeek</a> asked. Thank you for the question. This is all about <a href="http://www.merdekareview.com/">Merdeka Review's </a>2nd anniversary. We had our time at Bukit Jalil Golf and Country Resort last night. Around 150 readers turned up. I was busy, collecting smiles from every face came across me. They would say "oh you are the one......" when I passed them my name card or told them my name. They know me not because I wrote excellent pieces, it is just because there are only 5 writers in Merdeka Review, including our editor. Our team is growing, however. It has added up to six now, since Mr Teoh Kian Hoon (behind, number 2 from left) is now with us. As a sincere, responsible and gifted writer, Mr Teoh is well known and highly respected in Chinese community. I am proud to stay in a team with him. My beloved colleagues surely feel the same. </p><p> </p>陈慧思。Wei See Chan。http://www.blogger.com/profile/04139324710172794910noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2256730726268195609.post-49245962347583054622007-08-14T08:30:00.000-07:002007-08-14T21:39:10.473-07:00Rationalism & Freedom<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTXFBjI8WcHgkKJ_9m4W6U0rbCxvpWpP3dGnxyY-NCe3nCC73DdtfBycbyvd3g9hrz1NMJWYc-CFEb2xiOjelSaBeyfZDCENB25XKVzybt79Or1yHU9fvSwqFt9UIV4nZCNIs3EHNj9wo/s1600-h/FA-BB-Popper-Albert.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5098587850309717202" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTXFBjI8WcHgkKJ_9m4W6U0rbCxvpWpP3dGnxyY-NCe3nCC73DdtfBycbyvd3g9hrz1NMJWYc-CFEb2xiOjelSaBeyfZDCENB25XKVzybt79Or1yHU9fvSwqFt9UIV4nZCNIs3EHNj9wo/s320/FA-BB-Popper-Albert.jpg" border="0" /></a><em>Reasons, like science, grow by way of mutual criticism; the only possible way of ‘planning’ its growth is to develop those institutions that safeguard the freedom of this criticism, that is to say, the freedom of thought.</em> (Popper 1950: 412)<br /><br /><em>…rationalism is linked up with the recognition of the necessity of social institutions to protect freedom of criticism, freedom of thought, and thus the freedom of men.</em> (Popper 1950: 423)<br /><br />By appealing to above sentences, Popper asserts that, growth in reason and rationalism can only be pursued in an open and liberal atmosphere. Popper believes that reason is a product of social life. We learn to argue rationally from our communication with other members of the society (Popper 1950: 411). This belief gives rise to the notion that scientific attitude is born from the society, or more precisely, from the intercourse with other human beings.<br /><br />In general, open society generated by elements of individualism, equalitarianism, faith in reason, liberalism etc. encourages rational criticism. Without critical rationalism, falsification of hypotheses both in science and other human knowledge can never take place.<br /><br />--- I admire Sir Karl Popper, for his wisdom, diligence and creativity. Sentences above are taken from one of my assignments in school.陈慧思。Wei See Chan。http://www.blogger.com/profile/04139324710172794910noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2256730726268195609.post-22629670107913566532007-08-12T09:09:00.000-07:002007-08-12T09:11:17.147-07:00Sad laughing stuff“Stop Meng Chee’s scholarship!” Federation of Peninsular Malay Students cried. And the Minister of Higher Education warned the students who study with government scholarship to behave themselves or else their scholarship will be terminated. These statements make me laugh. Those who came out with these statements seem to be naïve about other ethnic groups’ struggles in the country. We have been living 50 years together, and yet, we are so divided.<br /><br />After 50 years living together, yet the Chinese come to realize that their Malay friends do not know that Chinese who study in Taiwan are not quite possible to be supported by our government. And equally sad, our dearest Malay friends are yet to find out that their Chinese and Indian friends are not as lucky as they are.<br /><br />I share the same anxiety with a reader who wrote to Merdeka Review, “Do they know we have private secondary school?” Yes, do you know we have private secondary school which is not so “high class” in terms of its hardware facilities as private schools used to be? Do you ever know that local Chinese community pours in millions of ringgit to support Chinese education just because our government does not recognize mother tongue education?<br /><br />“Chinese are rich”, you believe so, because you have not come across Chinese private secondary school students in their school uniform asking for donation from one table to another in restaurants and supper spots just to help their school to build a hall or a small stadium.<br /><br />“Chinese who study abroad are using government money”, you believe so, just because you do not know there are plenty of rubber tapper families sell their land and properties to support their child who is holding a high school certificate which is not recognized by local universities.<br /><br />“Chinese community is affordable, since the community itself is rich” yes, Chinese community possesses the economic strength to support Chinese education, so Chinese schools are still working, they are just a bit old and only killed a teacher up to the day. However, if you argue it this way, what about our Indian friends who are left behind economically?<br /><br />Put aside your mainstream media, and start looking around, capturing some actual facts about your friends of different races who have been living together with you for 50 years. If you do, you must be able to understand why Meng Chee, the creator of “Negarakuku” who studied in private Chinese secondary and high school put the song that way.陈慧思。Wei See Chan。http://www.blogger.com/profile/04139324710172794910noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2256730726268195609.post-66528324063190467682007-08-12T09:06:00.000-07:002007-08-12T09:07:41.709-07:00A bit English, starts from today.From now on, I'm going to write in English whenever I feel like to. The reason of doing so --- I need to practise my English since I’m writing a serious matter in English, if not communicate with my friends who don’t understand Chinese. I know I shall be more confident after 5 to 6 years of utilising the language in my studies. It’s a great pressure though, for I know many of you have a good command in English. Imagine how embarrassing it is if one of you jumps out and says:“Stop…! I can’t tahan your English.”. Whatever whatever. I’m writing in English.陈慧思。Wei See Chan。http://www.blogger.com/profile/04139324710172794910noreply@blogger.com9