Reposting from Friendster Blog (I know!)

Chronicles from The Asylum (PART 1)

Sunday, October 22nd, 2006

"Did you get a room in an asylum?", asked my friend when I told him about my flatmates in Australia. Unfortunately for me, what I told was only just the tip of the iceberg. Hence, it is about time (since I’ve written extensively concise about my flatmates to my girlfriend) that I spill my experiences with my flatmates into the oblivious realm of cyberspace.

Of course, with all due respect, their identities will be kept secret and I shall identify them as, plainly, ‘flatmate’, and may I remind you that what is said here is not in proper sequence. Although this might sound egregiously biased and uni-perspective, I swear that all that is said here, is true. Here goes nothing…

Scenario: Flatmate picks up a plastic bowl-like utensil with lots of tiny holes at the bottom.

Flatmate: Errrrm, is this a sieve?

Me: … (trying to hold back sarcastic remarks)

Chronicles from The Asylum (PART 2)

Monday, October 23rd, 2006

Bloody hell! The amount of times my new flatmates ask me where certain household items are kept is insurmountable. I mean, find it yourself first, then ask! This house we live in is bloody small and the places we keep stuff are limited, let alone obvious! Here are some of my ‘real’ (a subjective concept) accounts…

Episode 1
Flatmate: Erm, has anyone seen my plate?
Me: Find it!
Flatmate: Okay.....

Episode 2
Flatmate: Erm, where is my cup?
Me: Ask the dishwasher…
Flatmate: Okay.....

Episode 3
Flatmate: Where is the drawer that you guys put the plastic bags?
Me: Is there a drawer that you haven’t open?
Flatmate: You mean this one? (opens it)…Oh.
Me: TADAAAAA!

Episode 4
Flatmate: Erm, what should I wipe this up with?
Me: Something that sucks up liquid…

More to come, stay tuned!

Hypocrites, stereotypes dan ...

The days following this Ahmad dude’s audacious remarks in which he branded the Malaysian Chinese community as ‘penumpangs’ (passengers), many has come forth to express their displeasure and called the ISA to take its course.

What an audacious bunch of hypocrites!

These are the very same ones that, on a normal day, would pounce on every chance to bring down the unbounded will of the ISA. And now, when something like this happens (not forgetting that, once again, a political figure or opinion leader is the one RESPONSIBLE for fanning racial flames), these hypocrites turn to the minority’s public enemy number one.

If the people of this country want to put an end to this nerve-racking long-running national issue, why can’t they discuss it out in the open? For years, Malaysians have suffered the stain and a nameless fear resonated by the events of 1969, and now, with less than 12 years to ‘Wawasan 2020’, it is a joke that Malaysia and her people haven’t the maturity and the willingness to bury this infamous past as one nation.

We should be discussing each other’s stereotypes and incite strong conversations about the ‘penumpangs’, ‘pemabuks’ and ‘pemalas’ of this country. Let it be a test of maturity for Malaysia and her people, a dare to go to the brink of when one faction lends the first punch and think ‘Do I really want to behave like my immature and racially fuelled forefathers?’

Perhaps it’s due to the stereotyping mentality of Malaysians; imposing and subjecting our own thoughts about other races. I mean, what does the words ‘penumpang’, ‘pemabuk’ and ‘pemalas’ mean without hooking a specific race to it. I merely mentioned those 3 words to prove that we are all racist and I am quite sure that any who reads this would have hooked a specific race on those words. I would have to as well.

Being stereotypical about other races is quite natural. However, Malaysia has come along way and racial tolerance among her people must be test or probed before acceptance can materialize.

Sigh. I remember way back in school I used to shout ‘Oi Melayu!’ and my Malay mate would respond with an ‘Oi Cina!’ After that we would curse about each others race and have a good laugh about it. My point is, I feel that our generation don’t give a fuck about racial differences, let alone incite racial tension. It is our political figures and opinion leaders who keep reminding us all that we have to be careful of what we say or do with regards to race. Indirectly, isn’t this inciting racial tension?

Well, based on Malaysian history, we Chinese are a bit of a ‘penumpang’, but we did our part in giving directions to the ‘pemandu’. But I think foreign conglomerates like the McDonalds and the Nikes, are the real ‘penumpangs’; killing off small local businesses and enterprises as well as hogging our shop lots. Unless this pervasive phenomenon is in-line with our political figures’ and opinion leaders’ stereotype on progress.

*Apologies for any grammatical errors. No time to read through...*