An Outing

In the early years of my teaching life, I was once invited to talk of the popular uprising and independent movements in the then backward countries in Africa and Latin America. We met at a rubber tapper's hut up in Bukit Lima . There were about 50 young students more or less crowded into the simple hut and we did feel the building seemed to moan under such additional load. A simple made-shift hard paper board served as the blackboard and I did sketch a simple map to explain my points. It was more like a classroom with quiet and disciplined pupils. I being a professional teacher had no difficulty in my role and enjoyed the esteem and respect accorded to me.
Apart from the quotes from the relevant book borrowed from the Council Library, I made very little comments nor did I made any political analysis then. I behaved just more like a conventional classroom teacher.  I wonder how many of the students live to this time and how many had met with the arrests, detention and died.

The Reality

After the collapse of the popular movement, there is naturally a low tide period in which the once advanced youths have now become old and senile. Some keep very low profile and some try to find their comfort in all sorts of religions which they formerly would certain reject categorically. But we still find a few have taken up the responsibility to face the challenge of the modern political struggle and let themselves be bathed in the heat of political fights. I think it is only right for us to be concerned of our political fate and try our best to handle our own fate and the future of our country by actively involving in the present struggle against the evil forces. We have not been wrong in maintaining our atheist stand and we cannot sink into the low mood of clinging to a religious log in the current of the broiling sea. On the contrary, we should take up courage to face the reality squarely in the face to contribute our golden years to make sure our country will be rid of greedy wolves and political gangsters who have held on to powers by hooks and crooks for such a long time. Enough is enough!

The Hudud laws

Talking about the woman drivers being punished just for their being the wrong sex, I think it just ridiculous to the extreme. Are they not aware that if they engage male drivers, they may be attacked by male drivers and they would normally be condemned as adulterous because it is very hard to prove rape which requires many eye-witnesses on the spot. It is also against human rights and proper ethics of social behaviour in imposing such discriminating laws. Are we still living in the middle ages? I believe there must be many people in the Muslim countries around the world who would not condone such archaic laws . To be silent on such matters is equal to collaborators in such oppressive acts.

A Habit

Once you are used to something that you do for a long time you are naturally used to it . It has become a habit. Many people have become a habitual christian or Buddhist without even thinking of its implication. Mind you some of them claim to be non-conformists or even atheist. A great many people just follow the current and follow suit whatever their friends are doing. I think coming to our golden years we can really do a soul searching and find out the truth of this universe and live a full life without just being led by the nose to welcome thy kingdom come?

My Finding on good living

After keeping all the usual rules of healthy living, I find that the results are quite encouraging. The fundamental rules being kept are no oily and fatty food, little salt , least sugar and plenty of exercise including parking cars far away to save parking tickets and enjoy walking around as much as possible. Recently I was introduced to a strange product called Shieh Lieng from Tibet. The original seeds were given to me asking me to mix with one part of Siamese original unrefined brown sugar which is hard to find. Now I use the Gula Atap (atap Tong) with three part of alkaline water or just the drinking water from reverse osmosis. Say 100g. seeds(dough), 100g gula and 100g of water well mixed in a bottle and cover it(not too tight or the bottle may explode because fermentation is on-going all the time. The mixture will be ready after 5 or 6 days. You can then drain the content through a sieve or just a piece of clean cloth to get the tien san sieh lieng which taste like very weak wine with a bit of sour taste. The remaining dough can be reused for another round of fermentation.  I have drunk the mixture for some time and I find it quite good, invigorating . Hey it might be a good idea for anyone to try as it is cheap and supposedly good for health.

Racial Relationship

I have always maintained that there is actually no tension or animosity between races in this country. It was all disrupted by those cunning politicians among whom the most notorious being cunning old fox  M who everybody knows rose up to the political arena by virtue of his rhetoric emphasis on racial relationship.  He is now even condemned for his racial tirade and subversion all along by a very senior minister.  My experience with people of other races have always been quite well from my school classmates and then to my colleagues and co-workers.  Now I am retired I have very little contacts with other brother races. But I do have have good memories of a few.  I would like to mention that I have been thankful to a Muslim eye specialist who gave me great attention so that I would not go blind due to the negligence of a foreign specialist. Later I met with a kind dentist , an orang ulu who really gave good service in attending to my teeth.  Last but not least, I met with a Malay eye specialist who carefully operated on my cataract and it was very successful . I think we should try to refute all allegations and malicious racial lies and myths. Let us all work together to kick out all those rubbish political gangsters to make our country most livable and democratic society.

The Big News

It is no doubt a big news sensational enough to catch the headline but naturally you would feel it has come too late and only when there is something to be got from the  voters. Well things can still be considered when youj have done something positive even though it may be outdated and not much weight. However, we can see that there is change of mindset especially with the voters who are now apparently more sophisticated and not easily fooled by chauvinists' and racists' roars. Even the most sensitive subject of Malayan Communists does not stir up big roar . This shows how  fast that we people can pick up information from abroad and keep pace with the very fast changing world esspecially in the backward Arab countries most recently. A good start for our country Boleh lah!

Who are the true sons of the soil?

Surely it does not need to have professors or senior authority to tell us the true sons of the soil who are heroes and who are not. We have seen the twisting of history to the extent that we don't recognise the true facts anymore.  While those who fought for the come-back of the British Rajah regime were honoured as heroes and those who served as running dogs of the Japanese Imperial army were honoured as heroes whereas those who fought against the Japanese invaders and the British colonial army branded as terrorists and traitors. Whatever you said Mr.Professor you have totally disregarded the true history and your tongue twisting is worse than the serpent !

This is the best of time and the worst of time!

Now is the time when all things happen very fast and swift indeed. Who would think that without the sacrifice of the blood of the people, the dictators and corrupt leaders in so many countries have been brought down from their coveted posts to face justice in front of their subjects?  You would expect a long time to accomplish a revolution or even rebellion just as the struggle of the Chinese Communists has been a long term effort with the sacrifice of countless lives! We now see the possibility of a change of government without bloodshed if we can persist in all out effort to carry out the work of education to all the poor citizens of our country. We can foresee the result!

Clannish Associations

We can see the past history of clannish associations with their internal strife, political affiliations,etc. But at least there is still a semblance of independent stand to accommodate various forces under the umbrella body of Hua Jong. Now it was rather childish on the part of an outcast politician to manipulate the so-called seven associations clique into giving a narrow minded allegiance to the authority. In doing so, he has indeed raped the 76 associations and the decision had never gone through the proper channels of extraordinary general meetings etc. He has always been used to play his money politics in the rural areas and now he began to apply it to the urban folks. I think he has miscalculated in this game and apparently he has already lost even before the real battle for popular support has begun!