Whinge whinge whine boo.

Exams.

Time flies.

Like mottled moth wings,

Exams stink.

But that’s not the point. With all the calamity back home home from the rise in oil prices (‘We’re going to WALK,’ said Papa) and the many, many, many Earth-forsaken political whinings from within and without the government, I finally gave up and read that ultimate bias in media, CNN.com.

And I found this article, which I thought was pretty cute.

I mean, granted, South Koreans can be a pretty heady bunch (for evidence, see: Winter Sonata), and sure, I may not fully understand the socio-economic importance of beef imports to the good people of the land, but my first thought upon reading the article and seeing the picture, I thought, ‘Now THAT’s more like it.’

Memories of taekwondo sparring matches and bowing to your opponent aside, I thought it was a pretty noble thing they did. The impression was marked; that of apologizing and admitting their mistake. How many people do we elect who have the gall to do what they did, in front of the entire nosy world? One need only look at the Clinton mess and the BushHead to see that South Koreans are way ahead when it comes to humility.

And then. Another thought struck me:

This was emotional blackmail. Plainly, obviously; oh my word they are playing the ‘feelings’ card!

I remember a conversation with Hussein about something like this, preceded by a rant by Emi. Funny thing, how alike married couples sound. Both denounced people who countered criticism (in which I played a part, but what else is new?) by saying that it had to stop, for fear of hurting people’s feelings. This was in relation to something that had happened – it was trivial, for sure, but so many people took things seriously, and whatever criticism came flying their way were countered with the words, by their supporters:

‘But these are real people’s FEELINGS we’re talking about!’

I understand the need for emotional sensitivity; I have been on both sides before, and unless you’re Olmert or some other good-for-nothing world-class twat, I wouldn’t want to hurt you, much less your feelings. And so I was very vulnerable to the ‘feelings’ card. I crumbled; I quaked and felt bad (boohoo). I’m sure I’m not the only one.

But after Hussein and Emi did their best to cheer me up, it struck me that it wasn’t just me – I mean, sure, I’m one of the bluntest people I know, but imagine if the top hats in Malaysia (or songkoks, I should say) were to use emotional blackmail as part of their political strategy…

… “Bye bye Songkoks. You gave us a good laugh. Good times, good times.” Haha. DSAI wouldn’t have to do anything.

You couldn’t LIVE in Malaysia if you couldn’t tolerate criticism. And WE’RE the nice ‘Asians’. Criticism is there for a reason – for one to learn, improve and grow. If I hadn’t learnt to buck up and take a punch to the chin, I’d still be in the kindergarten playground because of what the Recess Diva did to me at the swings.

If becoming part of a First World nation means I can’t take some lip, then give me bad roads and unsteady economies anytime. Someone obviously never got a good spanking growing up.

P.S:- Here there be good article as bequeath by Uncle Lut-Lut. He has his way with the search engine, he does. Papa, if you’re reading this over Amir’s shoulder, scroll down the comments on Dr Azly’s article and you’ll find a familiar name

(Not) In the mood.

Oh please.

Of all the things. Of all the things in this huge, bleeding (and I mean that literally), overcrowded, overshuffled, overterrorised world. Of all the remarkable things in the world to ponder, to investigate, to marvel at. I had THIS.

I make no qualms about my political affiliations, although, only having recently been considered legal in my country – speaking of which, Government, don’t you think it’s a bit ancient an age to take someone seriously? – my word hasn’t accounted for much but a lot of vented anger. And it worries me, yes, that I seem to be a perpetual rebel, be it culturally or politically. It’s worrisome for when the side I wing for wins.

But that aside. I mean, REALLY. If there is no other reason to vote for the other side, people, let’s just do it because THIS one thinks we’re all brainless dolts, and they apparently plan to keep us that way. All the better for them to dictate with.

We are not Cuba. We are not Zimbabwe. We are not Australia (oh, they had their elections in oh-seven) and no, ma’am, we are NOT the US of A. Let’s not even mention their respectable level of democracy, because oh no, the only thing we can see is their secularism and their East-bashing and their bigotry and their Islamophobia and their inherent need to force their own rules down the whole planet’s throat and that they’re the darned closest this century has to colonialism.

Oh no.

But I will not overrule that we could, possibly, maybe, sort of be Kenya. Because hey, where I come from, people can lose in every other district and still win the electoral seat.

BIG hint.

Sigh. Forgive the Aaron Sorkin-esque narrative. But I’ve been watching Studio 60, and he DOES do peeved very, very well. And, well, I like watching peeved people. Reminds me I’m not quite alone, you know?

So. Call this retaliatory. Call this revenge. I have read enough politics to know that in a land where cyber-laws are barely even considered (unless they have racked their balding heads trying to steal the headline – but with the scandals and the murders and the kidnappings and the espionage-turned-homicides, it’s pretty hard to compete when all you do is cheat and steal on a daily basis) that when there is scant jurisdiction, there will be no verdict. Especially when there are no names, and for all you know, the link could’ve been a copy-and-paste accident.

Oops.

‘Not scared.’ Let’s put that on a t-shirt.

Untuk mereka yang makan cili…

Aku masih belum sanggup
Untuk meluang sedikit lebih kurang masa untuk
MengingatiMu
Kerana pada firasat aku
Mati itu lama lagi
Aku belum kepingin gulai kari masakan ibu
Yang semestinya akan aku minta
Sebentar sebelum ajalku.
Jadi
Tolonglah faham, Tuhan
Jikalau bacaan ayatMu, aku hadkan pada Yaasin sahaja
(Bila aku santai pada Khamis malam Jumaat)
Ataupun bila solatku terlanggar hadlaju
Yang ditetapkan oleh RasulMu.
Itu zaman itu
Ini zaman ini
UmmatMu bukan semuanya di padang pasir kini.
Islam sudah bergerak maju.
Agama itu kan mudah?
Maka haruslah disesuaikan dengan waktu
Duniaku ini bergerak secular
Takkanlah mampu Islam mengejar sama?
Kapitalisma lebih menguntungkan
Hedonisma lebih memberangsangkan
Lebih memuaskan nafsuku
Yang makin lemau dikunyah umur.
Solat sunat itukan
Tidak buat pun tak apa?
Aku belum tua
Belum rasa mahu menyarungkan kain pelikat
Atau duduk lama-lama di surau.
Aku ingin masuk syurga, tapi
Bukankah cukup sekadar shahadah
Sebagai penyaksian bahawa aku ini
Seorang yang membawa Islam?
Asal cukup syarat
Aku puasa, solat, bersunat
Aku target untuk buat haji
(Selepas menonton di Chelsea)
Aku bayar lima ringgit itu yang perlu bila orang meminta
Cukup bukan, TuhanKu
Sebagai saham syurgaku
Di akhiratMu
Yang masih jauh lagi
(Bagiku)
?