Vote for Me!

In the next general elections, I am going to vote for myself. That's right, for "myself"! I am not going to vote for any political party or alliance, or the government or the opposition or the New Economic Policy or Vision 2020 or capital development or more democracy or less government or affirmative action or more liberties. I am simply going to vote for myself.


No, I am not standing for elections! Evidently, from all the talk that is going on and the posturing and postulating (some very ugly) that politicians have taken to of late, an election may be announced soon. When it is announced, I plan to vote, like I always do. But this time, I am going to vote for whoever represents me, yes, me -- not any one else or some great ideal out there that benefits no one except those who churned it out it in the first place.


And, I am not going to ask the candidate standing in my constituency what he or she can do for me! I am simply going to sit back and watch. And see if the people who I helped put in place in the last elections are serving - me.


I am going to see:

• Will I get a job on merit and not because I fill a statistic in government quotas?



• Will I move upwards or hit a low glass ceiling and find myself working under those who are there because of political patronage?


• Do I have to work twice as hard to only go half as far simply because I am a minority?



• Will my children be bullied, dismissed and ignored because of the colour of their skin? And can they get scholarships with the ease with which others get them? Will they get jobs that I couldn't?



• Do I have to worship in a shoplot, because civil servants won't give the approval to build a place of worship on a piece of land so that I can worship in peace?



• Will the cops who stop me for a minor offence ask me: "So, apa macam? (how)" In Malaysia, we all know what that means, when a policeman says that!



• Will the cops who take in a brother or a friend or a friend's friend or a friend's friend's friend ... have the daylights beaten out of him and/or he dies in police custody and no one knows anything about it?



• Will the returns to my retirement money be increased or diminished because of the way EPF manages my money?



• Will my taxes work for me? Or, do I still have to drive on tarred roads pock-marked with potholes, and, worst still, which gets flooded with every thunderstorm? Do I have to pay exorbitantly to get quality health care -- privately -- because public health care takes too much of my time?

• Will the municipal council continue to summon me everytime I park by the road because there is no place else to park? And raise my annual assessment even though my garbage is messily taken out? You know, the garbage gets taken out but never without leaving a regular residual litter? And the garbage collectors are not taught to shut the door of the bin chamber every time they take the garbage out? And break-ins are frighteningly an everyday occurence? And traffic jams are a daily exasperation because neighbourhoods are planned without adequate exits and efficient traffic flow?
  
  


• Do I have to pay a premium for safety and stay in a guarded community because I am not confident that me, my family and my belongings will be safe any where else?




• Will my bills, which I duly pay, keeping going up even when others don't pay?




• Do I have to contend with a traffic jam everytime I drive? Or rely on unscrupulous taxi drivers who find every opportunity to fleece me when they can? Or rely on public transport that makes me wait for hours before I get to my destination? Or use transport driven by over-worked, minimally-paid, at-the-bottom-of-the-heap labour who sleeps on the job because they have to work nights or extra time for a couple of Ringgit Malaysia?




• ..... the list can go on ...

I think you know what I am getting at. Yes, this election, I will be gauging micro managers in the civil service and the municipal and city councils to see if they are doing their job. Or just waxing fat on my taxes. I am tired of voting for the "big picture" at the expense of the "small picture" of the ordinary person -- me!

I want to know if the next government will help the little person, me. Since jobs are hard to find, will I get a licence to run a stall? Or, will my stall get moved because I am not supposed to hawk there? But, find, a few months later that a goreng pisang (banana fitters) or hotdog stall has popped up in the same place and up to now no by-law has been invoked to move him or her?

See what I mean?

It is time to serve notice on the other small fellows behind big desks at the municipal and city councils who pretty much do as they please because the public spotlight is focussed elsewhere. And, on the few occasions when it does fall on them, they get away with minimal damage because Big Brother somewhere bails them out or excuses their gross dereliction of duty.

Well, I want them jumping on their toes, at the beck and call of their constituents. But, I know, I am just a small person with an inconsequential vote -- too small to bring about change. But, when thousands of small votes are cast in the same direction, they will count, won't they?

Some people can say that my vote won't count but, I think, it is going to matter.

'Cos, like me, thousands -- perhaps, millions -- of small people are watching and making deductions.

My vote is going to count.

Picture Credits

This was the first time I posted pictures on my blog. The anxiety before doing it was greater than actually doing it -- after Regina told me of the "how to"! One of the things I am learning about the Web is that you should just not be afraid about hitting buttons! Just hit! If what you want doesn't appear, go to previous and you still retrieve what you want! I am slowly but surely finding my way around!

By the way, the pictures of Langkawi were not all taken by me. The eagles' picture was mine. The rest were given, courtesy of Priya Devi who was also on the trip. She really had some good pictures and, I think, it is only right that I give her credit for it. So, thanks a lot, Priya!

Langkawi lingers on

Thanks, Regina, for the tip on how to upload pix! I am at a loss when it comes to the WWW! But, learning to get on top of it! Here are a few more pictures. Enjoy!

Captions for pix, clockwise: Rainbow on rainforests/Bird's eye view of Telaga Harbour/Sunset over Telaga Harbour.

Langkawi lingers

I just got back from a short but satisfying holiday from Malaysia's famous island -- Langkawi. "Lang" in Langkawi is from the Malay word "helang" for eagles. The island is the natural habitat for the medium-sized orange-brown Brahminy kites.

This was my second trip to Langkawi. The first was nearly two decades ago when it was still undeveloped and, apart, from looking at the sea, it was a boring! But this time, I had fun!

The first day was stressful because I hired this creaking and squeaking Proton Iswara (yes, if you go to Langkawi, you must hire a car to get around) whose meters were all set at zero! The first thing you do is, of course, to fill up your tank. Then, driving around I panicked because I did not know when the fuel would run out! And petrol stations in Langkawi are not found just round the corner! Well, I managed to find my way around, while giving my arms good exercise handling a non-power steering wheel!

Apart from that, everything else was simply enjoyable. I booked a standard twin-sharing room at the Awana Porto Malai (4-star hotel, but I would give it a very high 3-star rating!), but, I suppose because it was the off-peak season (the week before Hari Raya) they upgraded it to a pretty and cosy deluxe room with a balcony and an astounding view of the sea landscaped by a series of islands. On the last day, after a hearty breakfast, all I did was sit on the balcony and soaked in the view until checkout time!

There, really, is a lot to see in Langkawi unlike the last time I was there. There is the Underworld Water Langkawi, which features a huge range of very small fishes of amazing shapes and colours. The tanks with the big fishes were closed because the fishes had died of suspected poisoning. The tiny fishes are truly worth seeing. Imagine, for millions of years these tiny creatures have contributed to the balance of the ecosystem. In addition, there were penguins and a couple of playful seals as well. Entrance fee is RM 28 for MyKad holders and RM 38 for the rest.

Then, there is the cable car which is an exhilarating experience. The view from the peak, at 700m above sea level, is simply breath-taking. I took several pictures which will be uploaded and posted as soon I learn to how to do it! And, we were serendipitiously favoured with the sight of a rainbow that fell on the lush curly foliage of the rainforest on the land-side view from the cable car. Wow! Rainbow on rainforest on your left and mystic islands on ocean on your left! Wow!

Another "wow" is the eagles. It is the highlight of the island-hopping trip (RM 40). A longer one which includes visits to a mangrove, fish farm and bat cave costs about RM 120. One operator gave a discount to women at RM 80! The tour takes you to an island with a huge inland lake and monkeys who don't mind posing for you and to another with a beach with silky sand where you can safely swim, and then the main show -- eagle feeding.

That was a treat! The boat operator throws chicken skin on the water. And, soon, a flock of birds will descend swirling, dipping and swooping down to the water surface to pick up the food with their talons and fly away. I was agape! I have never seen so many eagles flying about so freely all at the same time -- and at such close quarters! Among the brown winged Brahminy kites, I saw a larger white-bellied sea eagle. What a marvellous sight! Seeing them with their wings stretched out, swinging out into the open, hovering and circling and swooping down to pick up their food! Wow! That was, indeed, a treat!

There were other things to see. Upon arrival at the airport, you can get a map and brochures of what Langkawi offers. Instead of paying for airport transfers, just hire a car to see places! You can do that, too, at the airport. But be prepared to top up your fuel regularly because the cheaper cars are usually guzzlers! They won't tell you, but you have to pay parking (RM2) to park your car when you return it. If you raised it as an issue, they (tour operators) will tell you -- softly but firmly -- that that is our expense, not theirs!

That's the nicest thing about Langkawi. The people there are unhurriedly nice! It is truly pleasant Malay hospitality! Even when you are upset, they will maintain this calm laid-back niceness. What a refreshing change from the crass ugly competitiveness of the Klang Valley!

Back to Langkawi -- you can find food of all types there. I found an inexpensive place called the Boat Restaurant just outside the Holiday Villa which serves Chinese food at reasonable prices. A small Singapore fried mee hoon costs only RM4. Another place which serves really good Indian food is the Tulsi Garden. It is slightly pricey, a vegetable dish can cost from RM 9 to RM 14 and good for 3 or 4 people -- depending on your appetite -- but very tasty!

At Telaga Harbour, you can get a choice selection of Western food -- even Russian cuisine! The lively place for eating, drinking (there are a few bars) and socialising is, of course, along Cenang Beach. You can get all sorts of food, trinkets and accommodation at varying prices.

Night entertainment is not much. But, for bonding while holidaying, Langkawi is a great place! And, not so expensive. I took the AirAsia Go Holiday 3D2N-package for only RM 615 for two. The package included flight and accommodation at Awana Porto Malai with daily buffet breakfast. I spent about RM 400 for other expenses.

And, bring a lot of cash! In Langkawi only a few outlets accept cards. In most places, they want cash!

Despite the few inconveniences, all in, I think, it was a pleasant breakaway from the frenzy of urban rush.

Captions for pix: Eagles descending/Mystic islands on ocean

The suit against God

Firstly, I got carried away with my first blog. So, it was long. But everything else is going to be short!

Recently, I got tickled by a little story I read in the newspapers. This US senator from Omaha, Nebraska, Ernie Chambers -- a self-proclaimed agnostic -- filed a suit against God for making "terroristic threats against him and his constituents, inspired fear and caused 'widespread death, destruction and terrorisation of millions upon millions of Earth's inhabitants'." Senator Chambers was seeking a permanent injunction against God

So funny, this man. For an agnostic, he surely spends quite a bit of time, energy and resources on God! Do agnostics do this? I thought agnostics were honest people who don't know if there is a God, and not knowing they don't waste their time or effort on something they don't know anything about.

But agnostic Senator Chambers is riled up about God. Now, what does that say about an agnostic? His actions prove what his thoughts can't. He is an agnostic but he bothers to talk about God. Of course, he is making a mockery of God -- if there were one. But, in doing so, he is, in fact, keeping alive the possibility that God exists, or, at least, could -- that is a far cry from an agnostic position!

So, I want to thank Senator Chambers for keeping alive the discussion on the existence of God! I think, God may be quite pleased with him, really. Who knows, one of these days, God may actually peep in on him, and say, "Hello!" But, if I read Senator Chambers right, he would probably look at him, blink blindly and say, "So, what are you doing here? Don't you know? I don't believe you exist. Get out of my window, you are ruining my view!"

Hilarious! What is as funny is the response to Senator Chamber's lawsuit. Two filings were sent in response to the lawsuit arguing that God is immune from earthly laws and that the courts lack jurisdiction over God. Suits and counter suits over God! What a laugh! And, what a great way to dissipate the tension over an extremely sensitive subject! I must compliment the Americans for playing along with Senator Chambers and doing it so correctly and rationally!

If something like that were to happen in a developing country, there would be an immediate religious riot, or an edict would have been sent all around the world to assassinate the guileless Senator Chambers! But, no, in this case, there was no violence, no fights and no bitter animosity. There was just an Almighty dose of tolerance!

Something to learn from!