Craft the director in me

What do you expect from a bunch of people who grew up and schooled together all the way from kinddies to college on a late Saturday night? You might need to write this down, grab a pen.

You would get a bunch of guys and a girl talking nonsense and acting like retards at a tram stop, right in front of McDonalds, chewing on fries, high from beers, talking nonsense and more acting of retardation.

Well that's at least what you get from my schoolies and me. The combination of D, J, M and I out on a weekend night will usually end up doing something super funky for our self-entertainment but could be super lame and stupid to others.

Of course I don't blame them because this is our culture! We like to play FBIs and SWAT team on the streets despite being 24s and 23s.

But on the other hand, if weren't for being stupid, lame and acting like a complete retard I wouldn't earn a bit of praise, that I have some talents in performing arts. When there is J, an artist and a pretty fierce art critic, praising you for having some creativity talent then you must have something in you.

Hmm.. maybe I should have a second career in the arts afterall I have suspected that I do have some talent in this department or maybe I am just stroking my own ego. Wahahahah whatever!

At least talking nonsense and acting like retards at a tram stop, right in front of McDonalds, chewing on fries, high from beers, talking nonsense and more acting of retardation is fun! :p

Get a fuck

An auditor friend of me spilled to me that she took action for being pissed at her manager. She wrote a letter to the manager to complain on her inconsiderate action by texting her three times on a recently early Monday morning which then left my friend insomniac until dawn.

The manager texted my friend at 2 am, 3 am and 5.30 am.

At first I thought that the manager needs to get a life.

No..no...no..not a life, because after understanding that the manager is a female in her early 30s, I came to a conclusion that she needs to get a fuck otherwise she wouldn't be texting her juniors so early in the morning.

Any volunteers out there?

Mad Detective

Johnnie To and Wai Ka Fai never failed me in the past and neither did they do so with their latest film, Mad Detective. If there are films that pit the same actors most of the time that doesn't fail to entertain, then it has got to be made by them.

The latest instalment by Milkyway Productions heralded a new masterpiece that delves into the subject of just being human. Using an all too familiar cops and robbers background for the story doesn't matter here but in fact it actually propels the film to being entertaining in addition to the karmic message to the audience that being human or our conscience is actually a multitude of personalities in us. Some of us have a more pronounce multiples while others have them subtle.

The outline of the film as ripped from wikipedia:

'Inspector Bun (Lau Ching-Wan) is a brilliant detective who is forced into retirement after presenting his retiring boss with a severed ear. Bun's gift is that he can supposedly see a person's "inner personalities," or hidden ghosts.

Years later, Inspector Ho Ka-On (Andy On) visits Bun in an attempt to break the case of Wong Kwok-chu (Lee Kwok Lun), a colleague who went missing when he and his partner, Ko Chi-Wai (Lam Ka-Tung) were in pursuit of a suspect. Wong has been AWOL for 18 months, and his gun has been used in a series of armed robberies.

Bun comes out of retirement and discovers that rather than being one man, Chi-Wai is a seven spirit collective (with each perhaps representing an aspect of the Seven Deadly Sins). Ho doesn't know whether to buy into Bun's sixth sense or simply watch in awe and hope that there's more than madness to Bun's method'

Although the story sounds interesting but what really hooked me up was Johnnie and Ka Fai's directing, cinematography and casting. The way how they turned their abstract visualisation of the script into real actions is simply classic, without any CGI and not to mention their trademark gunshots.

As much as the film which I think is a hell of a great piece there was a flaw that I spotted throughout the show until the very end which debunked that reservation. The apparent 'flaw' wasn't a flaw, as it just wasn't supposed to be revealed until the very end, by just one line. Try spotting it.

Without further a do, go watch it.

Tibet: The western bait

It has been over a week since the Tibet unrest unfolded. It began on my birthday, March 14th. What a nice surprise by the anti-Chinese Tibetans. Affairs in East Asia, especially Greater China are always close to my heart and the recent incidents in Tibet concerns me nonetheless.

As usual China is demonized by the western media regardless even though that the Chinese security were extremely restrained in handling the Tibetan protesters and mobs, so much so that they killed any non-Tibetans in their way, burned and looted shops owned by non-Tibetans. They even burned down a mosque in Lhasa.

Despite the videos posted on youtube showing the mobs beating and killing civilians, looting and burning shops, the western press purposely left it out and instead edited pictures to leave out the violence commited by the protesters. As if the viewers are stupid, western news channel beamed photos of Nepali security forces as 'Chinese' arresting Tibetan protesters. It was sickening

No longer are the western press free and fair but an absolute propaganda of an international movement to bring down China no matter what. Chinese people are always bad, according to the western press.

There are more than enough articles and commentaries arguing who is right or wrong and therefore I shall not delve further into this subject. All of you can access medias from around the world and you form your judgment on the issue, but also please give some time to the stuff reported by 'citizen journalist'/bloggers who published photos and posted videos of the violence committed by the Tibetan protesters. After that, you would feel that the unrests were an attempt at ethnic cleansing and not just a mere protests. The victims were innocent Chinese not Tibetans as the western press claimed.

For the true face of the western media see here: http://www.zonaeuropa.com/200803b.brief.htm#021

To the Free Tibet protesters around the world, I say 'Fuck you very much'.

To the overseas Chinese around the world who helped in exposing the lies and farcical face of the western media, I say 'Well done and continue the good work'.

If the protesters have the conscience and follow the 'true teachings' of your religion, stop what you are doing and reconcile. I want to bring to you the song by Alan Dawazhouma, a Tibetan from China who made it big in Japan by singing the hit title: Ashita e no Sanka (Song of Tomorrow)

The song combines elements of Jpop, Chinese opera, meaningful lyrics and sang by a Tibetan. And this how it should be, all for one and one for all. We are of the same people of our motherland.

Thanks guys!

Thank you all for the wonderful night. It was a great night out with you all. So was the clubbing. Had a helluva good time on the floor.

Birthday celebration went on the whole day, starting in the office where my colleagues got me a cake followed by hanging out at Max B after work, dinner at Ants Bistro, drinks at Black Opal and a finale in Miss Libertine.

I also appreciate the presents very much. Really like the tie and the cuff links.

You guys rock!

Once again, Thank you so much!

Peaaaace

Tony's reply on the Perak MB tussle

This morning before heading to work I emailed PJ Utara MP, Tony Pua to voice my concern on the DAP leadership opposing the appointment of a PAS assemblyman as the the next Perak Menteri Besar. My view is that the DAP Central Executive Committee should not have released such a damaging statement in the eleventh hour opposing the MB-designate chosen by the Regent of Perak. This is despite that the state DAP chapter supports the Regent's decision.

I do not support PAS, its ideology or policies but I believe given the fragile state of affairs, with the Barisan Rakyat holding only three state seats more than BN, the chances of the coalition being sabotaged by the BN is very high. The Sultan or Regent can instead choose a BN assemblyman to be the MB if he feels the the candidate commands the confidence of the majority of the State Assembly. As such the right thing to do is to unite despite the polar differences of the two parties. I am sure PAS do not want to be a one-term government, and they ought to be given a chance.

Tony replied and here I reproduce our correspondence:

7.58 AM

Hi Tony,

I am sending a quick but important message to you since you are now a Wakil Rakyat as well as a DAP member. Please tell Lim Kit Siang and the party CEC to withdraw their decision for not backing a PAS assemblyman as MB. Please don't do it, as what Lim and the DAP website have announced. The people are shocked and devastated that Perak cannot form a strong coalition. I am very sure that BN will use this as a target and splash across the newspapers that the Barisan Rakyat is a farce after all.

Deng Xiaoping said it doesn't matter whether the cat is black or white as long as it catches the mice.

Tony, please for the sake of rakyat, who voted the party overwhelmingly, convince the DAP leadership the voice of the rakyat concerned with the Perak MB tussle.

Thank you,

CH Chua

---

6:09 PM

Hi Chee Hau,

While there are a lot of mails like yours (probably thousands) over the last day or so. I do hope that we do not get so blinded by victory that we are ready to sacrifice everything else just to get rid of BN.

LKS has nothing to benefit from making the statement he did. But I can assure you that should PAS decides to implement Islamic state like policies over the next four years, we will be crucified, by the same people who are giving Kit hell at the moment.

We want to form the government. But we need to do it on the right footing. It should be noted that the MB holds immense power in the state and if the ground rules aren't cut properly, then we will suffer for the next four years.

Tony

---

While I understand where Tony and the DAP leadership is coming from and in fact Seputeh MP, Teresa Kok voiced the issue two days ago at a forum organised by The Star, shouldn't all the parties have already come to an agreement on the MB post before submitting the names to the Palace?

This only shows how weak the coalition is, if any, and already I am sure that the people's confidence on them are starting to erode. As I am writing this, Perak PKR now opposes the State Exco line up agreed by DAP and PAS right before the swearing-in of the MB-designate. The agreement was that DAP holding the biggest majority would get eight posts while the remaining two to PKR and PAS.

The Regent of Perak postponed the swearing-in and has directed all the coalition assemblymen to sign that they support the new MB before the state government can be formed.

While I have great respect for Lim Kit Siang, I am appalled at the damaging decision made last night. Perhaps, he should step down from the Central Executive Committee and just be an ordinary member. I also do not understand why he could direct Perak DAP assemblymen to boycott the swearing-in ceremony that is supposed to be held today. By right the Secretary-General, Lim Guang Eng should have made the final decision.

I understand that the opposition states did not expect, in their wildest dream, to come to power so fast and furious and therefore their pickering over power suggests their lack of governing experience, but please settle the problems behind closed doors. While the people are happy to see them in power but confidence in them is really shaky.

Perhaps, my friend was right, who told me that although she is glad the opposition came to power in five states and captured half of the peninsula, skepticism still holds.

Finally, I would like to thanks Tony Pua for his quick reply. This shows that the new YB is willing to listen and respond to his rakyat. His reply was faster than our correspondence way before he jumped into the political arena.

Tired but still going on

Exhausted. So much to do. So little time. Muscles aching, probably due to too much tension and lack of proper physical rest. I would love to take a short break and the coming Easter break is much sought after. Despite being physically exhausted my mind is running on energizer batteries, solar power, coal-powered electricity, Red Bull, ecstasy and various other energies.

So much is going in my head that I seriously wish that a 10000 gig external hard disk can be usb'ied into my brain and back up all the ideas. There is the stock market, tax laws and my still incomplete screenplay.

But what is seriously running in my mind now is that I can finally have the chance to submit a memorandum outlining my economic plans and recommendations to parties that are willing to review it. Yes, I am seriously thinking about forwarding a paper to the opposition states as I already have such plans compiled into a notebook over the years. All my economic development plans are for Malaysia. I used to run a dead serious site that documents my papers/analysis/columns, one of which was published in The Star.

Digging them out revealed the relevance of the contents I wrote. I am not bragging or showing off but the fact is that what I wrote about redeveloping Penang as Malaysia's next economic and financial frontier four years ago suddenly seems relevant to the situation in the island state now. The people of the state voted out the previous government mainly on basic economic issues and the state's future. What I addressed four years ago is what Penang needs to move itself away from the lopsided reliance on the electronics and manufacturing sector.

I believe I can contribute to the country by contributing progressive and constructive ideas on how to improve our economy but I couldn't find the right avenue to do it in the past. I don't believe the BN-led federal government and back then, the opposition parties were too weak to take such grand views seriously. They were preoccupied on petty problems such as clearing clogged drains that are supposedly the responsibility of the local councils.

Now the time has come to wipe the dusts of my yellow notebook that contains my various economic and social plans that I believe are relevant to helping the five opposition states to build and integrate their economies that could form the showcase for the rest of the country. Why them? I identify with their visions.

I will be to the drawing board and hopefully to be in contact with Raja Petra soon to submit my papers.

:)

Restoring the Malaysian in Me

I've never really felt like a true Malaysian ever since I became conscious about national identity, mainly due to my schooling, upbringing and the existence of foreign blood in me. Malaysia was just a physical place that I grew up. As I attended an international school I never understood what it means to be Malaysian despite holding the nationality.

Identifying with Singapore was natural as there is where half of my blood came from. Second was my identity as a Chinese owing to my strong Chinese cultural upbringing in my family. Third was that I understood more of Europe and the western world because of my education. In a way, I felt like a foreigner and that feeling was amplified by my inability to speak Bahasa Malaysia.

Throughout my years growing up I came to understand that being a Malaysian is not the same as being a citizen treated impartially and fairly by the government like in other countries. We are classified as different races and treated differently based on our skin colour. This is done when we call our country, Home.

I always thought why? Singapore is basically our blood brothers and sisters but they can function where everyone is the same and treated equally. I still remember the Singaporean song, 'One People, One Nation, One Singapore', but I just can't seem to identify Malaysian as 'One People, One Nation, One Malaysia'.

In addition, the superb inefficiency and corruption really turn me off and still do. I am sure many of us feel the same. We question when will the day that everyone can be of One People and become a corrupt-free nation. With the exception of some activists and politicians, many resigned to the fact that is not achievable in our lifetime. Not even in the next 50 years.

At times I would day dream of the perfect Malaysia with equality, justice, freedom, democracy, efficient, corruption-free and a supercharged economy. Why not? It is not rocket science as we have the bedrock of a common law system that can work very well, provided that judges are fair and impartial, abundance of natural resources and a hardworking and intelligent population. If Singapore can do it without any resources why can't Malaysia?

Until 8th March 2008, being a Malaysian means we have to be at the whims and fancy of those in power, the BN and its cronies. But after that date, Malaysia came back into me and the idea of Malaysia for Malaysians suddenty became credible and workable. The key is to join hands, regardless of race, and make Malaysia a better place. We can do it if we believe in it and the fact you have voted for change, something that was almost impossible to dream of before the polls, is our first step towards achieving the goal.

If we don't give up, we can do it and restore the real Malaysian in us.

"We will surely get to our destination if we join hands."

- Aung San Suu Kyi

One People, One Nation, One Malaysia

Mainstream media continues to spin lies

I bet many of you have read in the mainstream press that PAS will be implementing Hudud laws in Kedah. All is not true as Raja Petra of Malaysia Today, who correctly predicted that BN will be denied its 2/3rd majority, clarified that PAS President Tok Guru Haji Abdul Hadi Awang confirmed he never made such an announcement.

After all, The Star is owned by MCA and NST by UMNO. Very well they will continue to fool the rakyat despite the people's decision for change!

' The trouble is, many of you wear these 'boycott the mainstream media' T-shirts yet you still read and believe what the mainstream media spins. Would you become terrible offended if I shout 'Bodoh punya orang!'? I really don't know what else to shout under these circumstances.

Let me repeat what I have said many, many times in the past. PAS does not have 150 seats in Parliament. In fact, PAS, DAP and PKR combined do not have 150 seats in Parliament. Read my lips. “PAS NEEDS 150 SEATS IN PARLIAMENT TO CHANGE THE LAWS OF THIS COUNTRY OR OF THE STATES!”

Anyway, 150 seats or no 150 seats, PAS does not intend to introduce Islamic laws, PERIOD.'

Full story here: The aftermath of the 'bloodbath'

'Malaysia Today is watching. And we shall whack the daylights out of anyone and everyone who misbehaves or forgets his or her promise. The opposition won the five states and 82 seats in Parliament with the support of Malays, Chinese and Indians. It needed all the races to cross the finishing line. Just two races would not have achieved that. One race would have been even more impossible.

So remember who put you where you are today. Remember who gave you your job. The rakyat can hire and the rakyat can fire. We, the rakyat, made you and we, the rakyat, can break you. Just remember that and with God as our witness we shall not fail to do that if you fail to do what you promised to do'

I will be doing my part as well to watch the opposition states just as we have done for the previous BN federal and state administrations. Power to the people!

Congratulation, Malaysians!

Well done! Malaysians of all races did the right thing and together we toppled BN's 2/3rd majority. This usher a new era for our country, a better place for everyone regardless of race and religion. I believe our country has arrived to the point that we can truly call our Malaysia for Malaysians.

From now onwards I hope that what the opposition will walk the talk. Implement what they have promised to the people. After all elected representatives are elected to serve the people.

Finally, Malaysians have to stood up! I am proud of you all.

I just love North Korea and Kim Jong Il

Really, I like North Korea because it has quite big balls. Their movies are good too with big budget and high production values.

Check it out. No, really you must check it out.

Bald Fest

There were many of them, shiny reflecting the lights. I started to fear, worrying that I might suffer the same fate and from now on I will really treasure every single strand of my hair.

Dragged myself out of bed to attend a tax conference at 7.30 am wasn't easy but what added further to my uneasiness was the number of bald guys in the hall so much so that I can't help but count them and I couldn't finish counting.

I wonder whether it is a prerequisite to be a botak in order to be a tax consultant.

Hibernation time

As soon as the cold snap took over Melbourne my body went into hibernation mode clocking 24 hours of sleep over the weekend. Just sleep, sleep and sleep like nobody's business. Looks like my hibernation will be cut short as warm weather would dominate the coming week.

Meanwhile I am looking forward to Labour Day and the Easter Break: total of 7 days off, inclusive of the weekends! Marchubulous!!