I'm indebted to you..

I'm indebted to God... for my faith,
I'm indebted to my parents...for my life,
I'm indebted to my siblings, my wife and my children...for my love,
I'm indebted to my teachers and lecturers...for my success,
I'm indebted to my friends...for my ups and downs,
And I'm indebted myself...for my freedom.

In life, we actually owe or indebted to someone some thing...and these things are meant for life. Some people don't realize this and they tend to become more materialistic and selfish. That's what destroyed our morale (and sad to say, our country as well). Everyone cares for themselves and only care what's best for themselves.

There's a phrase, "give and take" is something that everyone should put in mind and in their life principles. Ever wonder why the word give is before take? Not because it was placed in alphabetical order (although technically supposed to be that way). But there's more to it. 'Give' was placed ahead of 'take' brings a significant meaning - that we should learn how to give before we learn how to take. But practically, we don't practice this in life - when we were young, we always received gifts before we even know how to give them (and we demand for more!) But, as I grew older, I realized giving meant much much more than taking. I now felt much much happier than before. I've learnt from the people i'm indebted to...how to give. For me, what they have given me, i'm bonded with them for life. I can never return it to them. Therefore, i would rather give others what i have...coz i've taken more from them.

My parents, gave me life, they deserve every right on my life...how can i return it to them? All i can do, is to make the best of my life..enjoy what i'm doing, make my life a useful one.

My siblings, gave me endless love of a family...together with my wife (hope it'll be u,KC) and my children (oklar, in future not now...) so to return the love they gave...is to love them more! Sometimes, it's hard to show the emotions, but i hope they realise deep down in my heart, i love them more than they ever thought!

Teachers and lecturers, with all the advice, and guidance...i can never return it to them....my success are all because of what they have taught me, all the unselfish knowledge they have given me. The best i can do, is to make my life, as successful as much as i enjoy it. What they have given me, it's bonded til the day i die. And share my knowledge with all, that's what they wish for!

Friends, without them, life is meaningless. They brought happiness and sadness as well...without these spices, i wouldn't see life as sumthing meaningful. Without their support and friendship, i would have been nobody. This makes me to appreciate my life even more!

In the end of the day, learn to give and give more than take for it will not just brighten up our day, but others too! Taking makes us indebted to some one, which we may never able to pay in this live...so better to give! Share the love, kindness, knowledge and everything we have with everyone coz every living being on earth deserved them!

This is dedicated to my family, teachers, lecturers and friends...and specially for u, KC...for u have enlighten me with what u gave...u've restored the confidence that i've once lost...love u all!

Syed Imran: Antara pendatang dan penumpang

This is an article i got from a friend, Shirleen...I dun care if i'm being sued for plagiarism, but to me, the awareness of Malaysian and also the unity of Malaysians are more important to me. Therefore, i decided to spread this to people around me, hoping that they are enlighten and start to develop a mindset: Malaysia is for Malaysian. Enjoy reading, and hope that everyone, who call themselves true Malaysian, will spread the good united Malaysian spirit around.

Pada mulanya saya agak keberatan nak ulas kekecohan yang berpunca ekoran daripada kenyataan ketua UMNO bahagian Bukit Bendera, Pulau Pinang bernama Ahmad bin Ismail. Sama ada benar atau tidak apa yang didakwa dikatakan olehnya mengenai rakyat Malaysia keturunan Cina bukan persoalannya kerana isu tersebut sudahpun merebak dan mengapi-apikan keadaan.

Jika tidak ditangani dengan cermat, teliti dan bijak, isu itu boleh ditangguk dalam air yang keruh oleh anasir-anasir yang ingin melihat negara ini hancur serta mengundang campur tangan kuasa asing. Dalam zaman dunia tanpa sempadan dan liputan meluas dan segera oleh media elektronik antarabangsa, apa yang berlaku di sesebuah negara itu tidak dapat disembunyi atau dinafikan.

Isu pokok yang dibangkitkan oleh Ahmad Ismail membabitkan persoalan "menumpang" iaitu rakyat Malaysia keturunan Cina adalah penumpang di negara ini. Beliau menjelaskan bahawa ia merujuk kepada zaman pra-Merdeka. Bagaimanapun, sensitiviti rakyat Malaysia keturunan Cina telah terguris.

Saya tidak mengenali secara peribadi Ahmad Ismail, tetapi kenal agak rapat dengan Allahyarham abangnya, Abdul Rahim Ismail, pemilik Syarikat Pembinaan Rahim yang pada satu ketika dahulu agak terkenal sebagai sebuah firma pembinaan Bumiputera yang unggul di Pulau Pinang. Saya tidak tahu apa dah jadi dengan syarikat itu selepas Abdul Rahim meninggal dunia.

Secara peribadi, saya tidak setuju dengan apa yang didakwa dikata oleh Ahmad Ismail atas beberapa sebab.

Bagi saya, hampir 90 peratus rakyat Malaysia, khususnya di Semenanjung, adalah pendatang dan kita semua sebenarnya menumpang hidup di bumi Allah. Kita bukan pemilik kekal tetapi hanya menumpang.

Sebagai contoh, saya sendiri adalah keturunan pendatang yang menumpang hidup di bumi bertuah ini. Datuk nenek di sebelah bapa saya berhijrah dari Makkah dan dari Brunei ke sini manakala di sebelah ibu pula dari Hadhramut, Yaman. Kami adalah pendatang dan penumpang sama seperti hampir semua penduduk negara ini khususnya di Pulau Pinang.

Bagi Ahmad Ismail, dia juga datang dari keluarga pendatang dan menumpang hidup di negara ini. Ahmad Ismail tidak boleh menafikan hakikat bahawa datuk neneknya adalah pendatang dari India untuk menerokai penghidupan yang lebih baik dan selesa di bumi bertuah ini.

Perdana Menteri Abdullah bin Ahmad juga tergolong dalam kategori yang sama. Datuknya di sebelah ibu adalah pendatang dari wilayah Guandong, China. Pendek kata, datuk Pak Lah iaitu bapa Allahyarhamah Kailan bernama Hassan Salleh atau Hah Su Chiang adalah seorang pendatang. Beliau berhijrah ke Tanah Melayu dari wilayah Guandong (Kwantung) pada pertengahan abad ke-19 dan menetap di Bayan Lepas sebagai pekebun getah, pesawah padi dan kemudian saudagar intan berlian.

Najib Tun Razak, Timbalan PM juga berasal daripada keluarga pendatang iaitu dari Sulawesi, Indonesia atau lebih senang disebut orang Bugis manakala sepupunya Hishamudin Hussein tidak terlepas daripada darah keturunan Turki.

Datuk nenek mantan PM Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad juga pendatang dari Kerala, India manakala ibu Almarhum Tunku Abul Rahman berasal dari negeri Siam (Thailand).

Kesultanan Melayu Melaka pun dibuka oleh orang pendatang dari Sumatra bernama Parameswara, seorang anak raja atau bangsawan beragama Hindu.

Dalam sejarah kesultanan Melayu, kita dapati ada yang ditubuh oleh pendatang dari Bugis dan ada pula dari Hadhramut selain dari Minangkabau.

Hampir semua orang Melayu di sini berasal dari luar Tanah Melayu tetapi diiktiraf sebagai "bangsa Melayu" oleh Perlembagaan Persekutuan. Kita adalah "Melayu mengikut takrifan Perlembagaan" iaitu beragama Islam, mengamalkan adat resam Melayu dan bertutur dalam bahasa Melayu. Malangnya, bahasa Melayu nampaknya dimatikan oleh orang Melayu (UMNO) sendiri apabila dinamakan sebagai bahasa Malaysia.

Oleh itu, orang Arab seperti Syed Hamid Albar dan saya, orang Aceh seperti Sanusi Junid, orang India seperti Kader Sheikh Fadzir dan Nor Mohamed Yakcop, orang Bugis seperti Najib, orang Minang seperti Rais Yatim, orang Jawa seperti Mohamad Rahmat dan yang lain seperti dari Madura, Pulau Boyan, Siam, Burma, Yunnan (China) dan selatan Filipina dengan mudah boleh diiktirf sebagai "Melayu".

Mereka diterima sebagai orang Melayu tidak kira sama ada mereka bertutur bahasa Melayu atau tidak di rumah umpamanya si Arab berbahasa Arab, si Jawa berbahasa Jawa dan si Minang berbahasa Minang atupun si Mamak berbahasa Tamil.

Bahasa-bahasa yang disebut itu bukan bahasa Melayu dan jika dilihat dari sudut Perlembagaan Persekutuan, tidak boleh diterima atau diiktiraf sebagai bangsa Melayu. Walau bagaimanapun, atas kepentingan dan faktor politik, semuanya diterima sebagai Melayu dan Bumiputera.

Oleh itu, adalah tidak adil untuk menuding jari kepada orang Cina yang juga kaum pendatang sama seperti orang Arab, India, Aceh, Minang, Batak, Mandailing, Jawa, Madura mahupun Bugis, sebagai menumpang di negeri ini. Kita tidak boleh menafikan bahawa sebilangan besar datuk nenek orang Cina telah berhijrah ke negeri ini semasa Kesultanan Melayu Melaka, bahkan kesultanan-kesultanan terdahulu di Kedah mahupun Terengganu dan Kelantan serta semasa Francis Light berjaya menipu Sultan Kedah untuk menduduki Pulau Pinang pada 1786.

Kita adalah kaum pendatang yang menumpang hidup di negeri ini. Golongan yang boleh diiktiraf sebagai orang asal atau anak bumi tulen adalah mereka yang kita kenali sebagai Negrito, Jakun, Semang, Jahut, Orang Laut, Orang Darat, Senoi dan suku kaum masyarakat Asli lain yang masih menjadi penghuni belantara.

Kita tidak harus lupa akan sumbangan dan pengorbanan semua kaum dan suku kaum untuk membangunkan Malaysia sama ada dari sudut ekonomi, kemasyarakatan, keselamatan dan yang paling penting kesepakatan dan perpaduan. Semua orang yang kena dan seharusnya membayar cukai, berbuat demikian tanpa mengira kaum atau asal keturunan, sama ada pendatang atau penumpang.

Kita semua adalah rakyat Malaysia.

Posted by Syed Imran at Monday, September 08, 2008

[Syed Imran is an Arab-Malaysian born in Penang, Malaysia. Ex-Bernama journalist (1971-1998) and former press secretary to Minister in PM's Department.]

Merdeka today, Merdeka 51 years ago...the same?

51 years ago...

Merdeka! Merdeka! Merdeka!...Finally we are free from the British occupation and Malaya was establish. The Union Jack flag lowered, Malaya's Stripes of Glory raised. Then, 1965, Malaysia was formed. People around the world would respect us because we achieved independence like gentlemen, free ourselves by having discussion with the British government. No blood spilt.

Today...

Merdeka was no longer heard. We achieved independence, but not our minds. 51 years gone, but still Malay remains Malay, Chinese remains Chinese, Indian remains Indian, native Bumiputera remains minority. Up till today, leaders are still throwing racial issues and calling other races immigrants. Arrogantly, the culprit doesn't want to apologize. "I'm not going to be apoligitic". This is where Malaysia is heading now.

The point is, why in the first place, words like this were uttered to public? The chinese and indians never in their mind would wanna take over the country. All we want is just to be treated fairly as others. All we want is to live happily together with families, and friends from other races as well. Malay priveledges are not to be questioned. Is race so important till we forgot bout the country? Does this special priveledges helped improved the Malays? Why can't they compete fairly with other races? A healthy competition will improve everyone. Strangely, the Malays felt proud when they were successful with the help by 'these priveledges'. Come to think of it, Chinese and Indians have their weaknesses as well. Why can't they see it? The malays should stop being pesimistic, instead they should be optimistic to compete fairly with other races.

Malaysia is a land for all Malaysians, not malay, chinese or indians. Without this unity, Malaysia is heading backwards. Why can't we see the strength in each other's race and make use of it to spur malaysia rather than treating these strength as threats to other race? The modern Malays should now stand up and speak out!...Help to bring this country forward!

As a younger generation of Malaysian, i'm feeling damn sad and pissed off with the leaders of the country...both government and opposition who are being so damn political and risks the lives of the people by raising racial issues. Today, at this point, at this month, we should be laughing together and happy because we achieved independence for 51 years already. But now, we are staring at each other, worrying what threats will come to us. Living in fear or being overpowered by other races. Each race have different ability, why not we combine these ablities and create a stronger country? If the country were to war, who should stand in the front line? No, not malays...not chinese...not indians, and definitely no the bumiputras of Sbh and Swk!. It should be MALAYSIANS! together as one!

Sad...we no longer have the pure Malaysian and Merdeka spirits...where is country heading...towards 2020 or 1920? It's time, young malaysian who share the same spirit, should stand up and stop this racism. Malaysia is not for us, its for our future generations, lets make it a better place for them.

Scientific Expedition to Pulau Aur 17 Aug - 22 Aug

It has been a tired week, last week. Had been on a scientific expedition to Pulau Aur, organized by Institute of Oceanography and Earth Sciences, University of Malaya. This expedition, was also known in short as SESMA in its third edition. But this is not the end, there are more to come in future. It was really a great experience.

The expedition started off with an early bus ride to mersing, took us bout 5 hours. Then we had to take a boat to reach at Pulau Aur. However, the journey was not easy. At first, we're on a comfortable ferry..but not even a quarter of our journey, we have to change boat (just like changing bus on land). This was due to the tide that affects the journey of different sizes of boats. For the first time, i experienced changing boats. Our luggage (not to forget this is a scientific expedition, so equipments were included) had to be shifted as well. There were not just bags, but instead there were plenty of boxes, traps, chemicals and etc. Shifting the stuff were hell of a work.

It took almost 3 hours before reachin Pulau Aur. The sea was calm, but there were bit of waves causing the boat to rock. Well, we definitely can't run away from the unpredicted condition of south china sea. Fortunately, after a rocky ride, we reached our destination safely.

The whole expedition was a great experience. I was assigned to help out in geological work, scuba diving to study the profile of the reef. At the same time, I was assigned to also collect seaweeds and seagrass as well. By the first dive, i was stunned to look at how diverse the marine life forms there. It was very beautiful and a good place for research. The high diversity and clear zonation of the different reef systems makes it an interesting place to look at. But the massive algal cover that seemed to overcrowd the corals shows that the waters are too high in nutrients. It could due to the burnt soils by the locals, whom practices nomad style of agriculture. Amazingly, there were a lot of coconut trees on the island. It seemed like there were more coconut trees than jungle. Pulau Aur also have big boulder rocks, all over the island. It was really an amazing island.

Underwater sceneries were even more amazing. First site was at Pantai Teluran, was juz amazing. However, there were no sightings of sea urchins, or algal eating inverts to control the overcrowding algae. As for the fishes, there were no big sized fishes. All are just normal and small sized fishes. The next site, in Atlantis Bay was even more breath-taking. Massive corals were found almost everywhere. It was amazing to see the white beaches, and slightly blue water (instead of greenish). The profile of the area was also unbelievable. It was rather flat, before a sudden slop right down to 20 meters...and could reach more than 40! The locals reported that whale shark were seen before pass by the island. How true, i'm not sure as there no justified evidence.

We also managed night dive. Surprisingly, just when we descend, hardly even 1 minute, we managed to spot a big cuttle fish and a long trumpet fish. As usual, for night dive, we'll be able to see sleeping fishes and active invertebrates. A lot of shy shrimps were out feeding and being active. During 2 of the night dives, managed to catch glimpse of snake eel, octopus, nudibranches. Oh, can't miss another camouflage fish, known as flounder. This expedition, managed to spot turtle, bumphead parrot fish, a large potato grouper, nudibranches. There were also plenty and massive diversity of seaweeds (now waiting for the official count of species, coz still processing in the lab). Not to forget, my interest on corals, which are very diverse. However, cant really identify to species level yet but i know that it's high in diversity.

This trip also included terrestrial biologists, which found a number of birds species, mammals, insects and also dragonflies...not to forget mushrooms and fungi. Even mushrooms are quite diverse with monkey head fungi was found in the wild. But that's not all, there are still lots more to be discovered. I hope that the natural environment will be sustainable for as long as earth lives.

This trip also given me rare experience, as i managed to spot hurricane in the sea. We managed to capture glimpse of the hurricane with cameras. Its really rare but we were able to see how the hurricane suck up water as well. The shape also changes accordingly. It's really a rare occasion. By the time we are leaving back to KL, it was already night time. For the first time I get to travel across sea at night. It was really scary but when i looked at the skies, millions of stars brighten up the dark. On the long journey back to mainland, i felt happy and excited for being able to be part of the experience. But i'm glad to say, this is what i love to do...and i'm still doing it!

*i would like to acknowledge that some of the pictures above were taken by Khaira Ismail, Azi and Dr. Azhar.

Help preserve our marine life forms

Within a month's time, i have been travelling to Tioman twice. The first time was to help a friend in her Master's research and the other time, was to carry out reef check. The last dive i did was in February. Surprisingly, within approx 5 mth's time, everything in Tioman had changed. The corals are seriously in stress due to the heavy construction along the beach. For the first time in my life, I'd seen serious bleaching of corals in depth less than 2m. To some people, this is just normal. But as for a diver, and as a person interested in corals research, i find that this phenomena is a sign that the environment is seriously changing.

Bleaching, is an event where the zooxanthellae inside corals are expelled and the corals starting to loose their natural colours turning white, just like the two pics shown top right and left (i try to briefly explain in the layman's language). Bleaching in Tioman has gone serious, with even the most robust of them all are also bleached. The only factor that may be involved or in relation with bleaching event is water temperature. The water temp for last few months have been increasing based on recorded data from a reliable source. No many people know that although with an increase of 1 degree of celsius, is already providing stress to the corals. Corals can actually be the indicator to the changes in the environment as they are very sensitive to slight changes. They are also very fragile. Some corals, would only grow bout 2 cm a year (imagine now how long a big coral have been living).

One big problem to corals in Malaysia is that not many issues and phenomena have been recorded or documented. Even that, the development that have been taking place, will always 'forget' the importance of marine life forms. For bleaching event, as far as we know, the last event was in 1998. Therefore, i hope that snorkellers, and leisure divers, would report to the authorities of any bleaching event (either Marine Parks, or any universities in Malaysia, UM, UKM, UMT or UMS). This small report would help to enhance the conservation movement around Malaysia. We can see improvements (just improvement, but still more to do) however but unfortunately, these were focused on terrestrial organisms. Many are not aware of the marine ecosystem is equally important or i would say play more important role than the terrestrial ecosystem.

Development are important, but think again, without the natural resources, will there be development? Isn't it time for all human being (especially business minded people - and i do really mean it) to stop being selfish and try to save the world. Some will go "oh my gosh, that's horrible!" and then do nothing. Small contribution is better than no contribution at all. Development will create heavy sedimentation to the seawater (refer pic on the right, the view is being blocked by sediments), and that will reduce the light received by corals. Even small particles can reflect light, what more sediments. What's the point of development, when they will destroy the environment? Its a fact that the world doesn't belong to us, but to the future generations. What we do today, may be harmful for our children. Stop being selfish, some would even think what's more important to them now, rather than the future.

Let us all pray that the corals that are facing this massive bleaching event, will be able to recover. Another information to share is that although bleaching is a catastrophe, but they are not dead yet. Corals have the ability to recover when the water temp begin to cool, where the zooxanthellae will be able to get back into the corals. This recovery event is like chasing the time. If corals are bleached for too long, they will eventually die, or when algae grows faster than the recovery rate, that's the end for the corals.

Za'ba Champs again!

"7th college....power! 7th college...power! 7th college..power,power,power!. Za'ba power..yah! Za'ba power..yah! Za'ba power..yah,yah,yah!" - Those were the days...when i was the cheers leader for orientation week in UM (also known as Minggu Haluansiswa, MHS). When i first came in to Za'ba, i never expect to end my journey of college (not college in institutions, but residential college) in such a high note. The first responsibility given, unexpectedly was the cheers leader. I have never expected that coming, but nevertheless, i liked it (i meant i like cheers, not being cheers leader). Until today, the atmosphere of cheering in Dewan Tunku Canselor, still fresh in my mind.

A year before my MHS, Za'ba college emerged as champion of cheering competition (year 2004). Michael Ng, who was my mentor and the cheers leader for the year 2004, lead the team to champions. However, during my time, in 2005 we only managed as first runner up. I was disappointed myself, but it was an enjoyable moment for me. I was determined the next year I will be back to help regain the title by becoming Pembantu Mahasiswa (PM) to help our juniors to regain the title. Joseph, Fairus and Sanjivi were the cheers leaders that time. It was a different feeling then, being the one to guide the leaders instead of leading. However, luck wasn't on our side again. For the second time, we were in second place. The year after that, 2006, Za'ba finally lost its touch. There wasn't any placing for us. No one knows exactly where went wrong. No one knows. But the cheers leader that year, managed to bring back the glory, the trophy, this year, when he and his team guided the freshies to emerged as champions!..Bravo! Guess i was the bad charm for Za'ba...a year before i enter, we won...a year later after i finished, we won again. But the years that i was in Za'ba, we didn't win. Amazing, huh?...well, maybe i'm a bad luck for Za'ba.

Cheers competition, is a common thing in UM, and it has become a tradition in UM. No other uni in msia have the tradition that we do. This cheers tradition doesn't just stop at MHS, bt will be carried along all the way until the next year, and the year after...and so on. Even until now, it's in my blood. The rivalry between colleges doesn't just end after MHS, instead it will be carried on for years. But it's a healthy rivalry, bcoz from these rivalry, we get to know each other...just like the rivalry between MU and Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal. It goes on and on and on. In return, it makes the residents of that college becomes closer and have a strong relationship to the college (not all lar of course, some nerds wont ever feel the love to the college, but to the books instead). It builds a strong teamwork, communication skills and leadership as leading the team wasn't easy, and i'm not saying a team of 40 or 50...but 400 to 500. It was a challenge to all the leaders. It was a challenge to the team as well, for 400 to 500 people to be able to follow one's instruction and signal.

The situation is like in the battle scenes in Lord of The Rings, at Helms Deep and at Minas Tirith. The teams are eagerly to attack each other, and to defend themselves. Waiting for the command from the general, one shout, or even one hand signal, the war begins. The crowd in DTC will roar till walls shook, heart beat increased and blood pumped like waterfall. During my year, the best scene i'll never forget, was during the sports event...the horn was blown, and almost 400 of us, who were hiding under a tent, behind one big banner...ran out like soldiers ramming into war, just like the scene at Helms Deep, where Gandalf brought the Rohirrims to the rescue during the first light in the morning. We roared like dragons and ran thru the whole field, carrying banners (these banners are really damn big) as if we are really in war. The best scene for me a year after that, was the last day, when our college was split into two on the first floor, left and right of DTC. It was a difficult position becoz both sides are facing each other, and the leader cant be seen clearly. However, the strategy i planned worked out in the end, amazingly, both sides were very synchronized in their movement, and their cheeers, stunned the whole crowd watching us from below! These were the best moment which i'll never forget.

Looking back at the video now, i looked like sum crazy, hyperactive guy cheering like monkey. But when come to think of it, it was really fun and will never be forgotten in my campus life, in UM. I hope i can still feel the atmosphere just like in a stadium roaring when their team scored last gasp winning goal in soccer...during my convo this 7th of Aug. Well done Za'ba...once a Za'bahan, always a Za'bahan.

Do we change the world, or just change ourselves?

"He wanted to change the world, so he work very hard, do what ever he can to change the world. But after many years, he found that wow, it's very difficult to do it. So he decided to just change the people around him. He tried for so many years, but still didn't worked. Towards the end of his life, he finally realized that what he should do, is just to change himself instead of anything else." - This was a short story by a friend on a guy who has a big but kind hearted ambition. It was interesting talking to him on this matter. I also realized that in watever we do, we should first change ourselves rather than changing others. It's not the matter of difficulty, but it's a matter who would take the first step. In life, the biggest enemy is ourselves, not the ppl in front of us. The person who takes the first step to change him/herself is already making a first move to change the world. Life now, especially as a Malaysian is even more difficult than it used to be.

I used to enjoy playing outdoor traditional games with my friends, specially from different races...such guli (marbles in english), tarik upih, gasing (top spinning), konda kondi and my favourite is the galah panjang (picture shown on the left, taken from Kampung Boy by LAT). But now, how many of us still play this? some have not even heard of it before especially the younger generation these days. The Malaysia i've wished for is not goin to happen if the mindset of majority still remains the same. I used to enjoy seeing my friends playing soccer, with different races, different backgrounds, together as a team (i also play lar...but not a good footballer). Even sumtimes when i go back PD, i do play soccer with my friends, and never in my mind they were of different races. But as I grew older, i tend to meet ppl that are very racists. I realised that the government are being biased towards certain race. Is race very important? Ppl said that chinese are the strongest race (and seriously, some chinese believed they are). Is that really true? I'm a chinese and i dun feel that i'm good. There's stil alot more to learn. The malays will feel that they are always being bullied becoz the chinese dominate the economy. Think again, there are rich malays, and poor chinese. How bout indians, then? If it wasn't bcoz of them, our transportation wouldn't have survived. Well what ever it is, the problem is in us, ourselves.

Galah panjang, one of the old skools traditional games (picture taken from http://myuae.typepad.com).

Konda kondi, another traditional but forgotten game (picture taken from Kampung Boy by LAT)

I watched Hotel Rwanda (is a good movie, i reckon everyone to watch this...this movie was banned in Malaysia). I was so touched with Paul Rusasebangia (the main character in the movie), where he changed himself from being selfish and wanted to just save his family, to saving the ppl who seeks help from him. By doing that, he changed the people around him and in the end, he managed to change the whole world's perception. If a small country like Rwanda can do that, why can't malaysia? How many of us realised the race problem becomes more serious? That shouldn't be the question to ask. The one question we should ask ourselves and everyone else around us, if u realise this, what did u do? Demonstration like some oppositions do? Deny like the governments?...I felt that we should start telling our children, our family, there's no difference in races...be it malay, chinese, indians or any other ethnics...we are one, truly Malaysian, share the same red blood, share the same no of chromosomes and share the same ancestors, evolved to be Homo sapiens. We don have to have big ambitions, but if every one of us, start to change ourselves, believe me, a miracle will happen. Let's us all that are born as malaysian, live as malaysian and die as malaysian...not as malay, chinese or indian solely.