PULANGLAH TUN...........

"Tun Mahathir Mohamad telah keluar dari UMNO!" Itulah gaungan berita yang menyentakkan ahli UMNO dan rakyat Malaysia seluruhnya. Terasa semacam ada awan kemurungan menyelimuti alam perjuangan kini. Kenapa Tun perlu mengambil keputusan yang begitu mendadak? Bukankah lebih baik menguruskan permasalahan dalaman UMNO dari dalam parti itu sendiri daripada merencana dari luar?

Tun masih mampu menyumbang idea dan pandangan pada UMNO. Tun perlu bersama UMNO untuk mengharungi taufan kekalutan yang melanda tanah air kita sekarang kesan daripada tsunami politik pada 8 Mac dahulu.

Pulanglah ke pangkuan UMNO Tun, demi bangsa kita. Melayu perlu mencari penyelesaian untuk mengukuhkan perjuangan kita. Ingatlah kiasan 'CHELAKA AYAM'.....kalau sudah dibawa bersampan janganlah pula menyeberang sungai. Kalau sudah ada wadah perjuangan perlu apa mencari kaedah lain bagi merongkai simpul kemelutan politik tanah air.

Jangan hiraukan kata-kata cerca dari lidah - lidah durjana. Jangan pedulikan kiasan tak bersopan dari seburuk insan; dan jangan dihitung hujjah dari mereka yang dulu pernah membuatkan UMNO punah (pabila mereka berhijrah untuk menokhtahkan pendaftaran UMNO itu sendiri.)

Duri dalam daging konon! Daging siapa? Daging sipenutur itu sendiri saya kira! Suara sesumbang ini hanya didorong oleh dendam kesumat yang membarah di hati nestapa. Tolak ketepi saja pengucapan begini! Mereka ini tak setara dengan Tun, bakti mereka kepada UMNO sekumin saja... kalaupun ada! Saya amat hairan kenapa orang-orang ini tidak mencontohi tuturkata beradap Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi . Mengapa lebih sudu daripada kuah?

Tun, kembalilah pada UMNO. Suara suara memanggil lebih kuat daripada suruhan pergi !!!

BEWARE THE RIVER OF NO RETURN.....

         The old order changeth

          Yielding place to new

          And God fulfills himself in many ways.........

Of late these lines from my secondary school literature class , 'Morthe d'Arthur ' by Thomas Malory ,present itself  in my mind ever so often.  Guess my emotions have been stirred up following the events of these few months . 

Since the results of the 12th General Election, the opposition parties seem to be in a state of euphoria. They make it seem as though the country is falling apart and that it is just a matter of time before they wrest power from the Barisan Nasional. They make it look as though the figure needed to change the government ( in terms of Members of Parliament defecting to the other side)  is very negligible, when in actual fact to even get one person to defect is almost insurmountable.

And what is the carrot dangling infront of the target group. Heavenly goodies, ........reducing  the oil price, getting rid of corruption etc. etc.

Very positive changes......... But let us ponder a while. Are all these promises easily fulfillable? Is the credibility of the promiser or promisers intact ? Can they deliver what they so easily promised? I  DOUBT IT !

So beware. Change is not always positive. New  brand of people in power are not necessarily the best undertaker of our multiracial government. Once we surrender our governance to another party, there is no turning back! Too much damage would have been done. And too late we get wise.

Take a step back in history. Remember France. Remember The French Revolution. And remember ' A Tale of Two Cities ' by Charles Dickens.

May wisdom prevail.

EAT YOUR HEART OUT , Sallehen !

Ha ,  it is pay back time ! And I am smugly contented. I am happy beyond words. A twist of events has proven what I have always believed....... that there are people in this country who are eveready to believe the worst of women , and spare no effort to degrade women . 

I am talking about Sallehen Mokyi, the PAS Selangor Youth Chief, of course ! This very  PAS leader had protested against Ella and Mas Idayu performing at The Sultan Selangor  Cup Football Competition on 6 Julai 2008. According to a report by '  The Star Online' (June 16) , Sallehen and his band of perverted PAS youths   submitted a memorandum to the Mentri Besar of Selangor  to stop the two artists from performing at the function because 'their dressing and performances do not follow the values of the Islamic and Malay culture '.They contended that  the these two FEMALE  artists ' performances were not suitable  and acceptable because many youngsters would be present there.

Yes, these chauvinistic people did spell out those degrading remarks!!!

Now,  apa dah jadi weh ?

I am as pleased as Punch when the protest rally at Kelana Jaya organised by the opposition yesterday , including PAS , displayed an immoral performance in the form of underpants exposure and vulgar lyrics by a MALE rock group chosen by the same opposition parties. And among the audience were very young boys and girls. By the way it was reported that PAS's Murshiddul Am was supposed to deliver a speech at the rally but he did not turn up. I wonder why?

So the  moral of the story ? Don't be too hasty to condemn  women. Shed your stupid ,negative preconceived perception of women. Remember you are under constant divine survelience.

Isn't it ironic that the shameful and appalling act displayed by the MALE rock singer in an event organised by the opposition, including PAS, took place in the same state of which Sallen Mukyi is the PAS Youth Chief and on the same date as Ella's and Mas Idayu's performance ??? 

I rest my case.

OF BIG BREAKFAST AND A BIGGER AGENDA

One of my favourite Breakfast places is Mc D at downtown Bangsar. You might want to know  what is so special about this joint compared to other Mc D establishments. Well the answer is simple: Here I get to order my very own SOFT scrambled egg for my Big Breakfast ! And that means the world to me!

Another favourite place is Chili Merah in Shah Alam. They make the best roti canai with that soft , tender texture and heavenly  spicy curry to dunk your roti in. And some days ,if I am lucky, I get to eat my roti canai with piping hot, just-cooked gulai daging 'kawah' style.

BUT THIS MORNING I WAS IN A FOUL MOOD!!  I resented the threat I faced when I stepped out of my home to go out for breakfast. There was a gathering at Kelana Jaya to protest against the fuel hike, or so they said. I felt intimidated. And awfully suspicious.  I couldn't help feeling that there was something more to it than just a genuine show of opinion on our present fuel predicament .It was a global phenomenon , for crying out loud ! . I firmly believe that there was a hidden agenda for all this hu-ha -----like what most people thought. 

But most importantly,this kind of protest gathering which had become the norm for some quarters had encroached on my minding-my-own-business breakfast outing. There is always an unsettling feeling, a sense of insecurity towards one's well-being that accompanied these protest moves. Plus these kind of assemblies entail traffic jams ,or at the very least traffic congestions.  I abhor this encroachment !!  I have the right to go out as and where I please, safe in the knowledge that my movement is within the realm of  peaceful co-existence with my fellow countrymen ---------- without this multi- agenda group manupulating our system and our  fellow citizens and creating public uneasiness in the process ,  just so they can pursue their own selfish ambitions.

It is really pathetic. Some of these 'protesters' are legislators at state and federal levels ! Why bother to get yourselves elected if at the end of the day you could not stay away from the streets?

I am sick and tired of these charade. Get your act together. Use the right channels to air your views. Democracy does not dictate that you can create an environment of threat towards other people's convenience........and  safety. Grow up and behave !!

And let me and a lot of other hungry people enjoy our breakfast in peace !!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME........!

Yesterday was my birthday.......again! Had a pleasant surprise when my significant other presented a beautiful orange flavoured birthday cake just as I was about to sit down for tea after a lengthy meeting with my UMNO ladies. Thanks too for the lovely card, Yang.

Other than that nothing really interesting happened this time around, except I decided that after all these years of toiling for the family  and servicing the country, I needed to reward myself. And what better time to do it other than on my birthday. So , on the eve of my birthday I decided to present myself with a designer handbag.

 I headed for KLCC and started browsing at the bags on display at the boutiques. Hmm very  tempting!  One particular brand caught my fancy and I made up my mind to buy this one.... and just ignored the hefty price. Anyway there was a big discount because of the ' summer sale '. And after all it was my birthday gift to myself. A girl got to have what a girl got to have ! I digged into my suddenly - worn- out -looking handbag to take out my purse when ,as if on cue, my mobile rang. It was a political call . A very disturbing one . It took all the excitement and pleasure out of my pre birthday shopping.

 

I went home empty handed and empty hearted !

But what the heck , birthdays come every year. Hope my next one will be more eventful !

OH , WHAT AILS YOU MR BALA ?

I am disgusted beyond words ! What do these people take us for ? One day an 'explosive' press conference.................the next day another 'explosive' retraction of the 'explosive' statements of the first pc !

 Mr Balasubramaniam ( the PI  hired by Abdul Razak Baginda) has a lot to answer for his outrageous act in shocking the whole country with declarations that should not have been made in the first place. 

Malaysia has always been known as a peaceful country with peace -loving people, but now our whole reputation as a nation is at stake. .......what with sensational and scandalous news bombarding our media every day. Mr Bala's shocker is yet another disgrace ! 

Search your soul Mr Bala  and tell us what actually IS your problem ?

ME AND MY WORLD.......

I AM A HOPELESS ROMANTIC ! And to me that is a virtue. I just get carried away when soft sentimental songs fill the air conditioned air in my sedan whenever I travel along the highway.It's amazing what listening to these songs can do to me. I get transported to my own nostalgic domain , filled with pleasant memories and the  magic swings of days gone by. When I listen to these songs I don't just listen to the music and the vocal , but most of all I immersed myself in the lyrics. Some of these lyrics are just beautiful ....... with narrations of sweet undying love and strong commitments to the love of one's life .What a beautiful world !!!

The ' Classic National' channel on the radio is fantastic. I just love those songs that are accompanied with instruments such as the trumpet, saxaphone  and accordion. Those 50s and 60s era have the most beautiful melody that really soothes the ear.The musical band appears  unassuming and gently persuasive, with intervals of solo saxaphone and choral blends that are aptly  intertwined.  I wish I am in a position of authority that can promote this kind of music to the modern audio world .

As for  lyrics, I simply love the lovely words crooned by the likes of Tan Sri P Ramlee, Ray Charles, Johnny Mathis and Broery Marantika. The estatic elements in the rhyme and rhythm  floats the memory to things beautiful and sentimental. And of course John Lennon's  'Imagine' helps steer the mind to dream on........

By the way , I do cry at the movies too!!!

LOST IN THE WONDER OF LANGKAWI

Langkawi is fantastic ; and I mean that with a capital F. I spent four wonderful days at Langkawi recently. My last visit was about five months ago. This time around my husband and I stayed at The Frangipani Resort. Although the rate was a bit high , the sights and atmosphere around the resort was well worth it!

We were lucky to get a chalet quite close to the Andaman Sea, where we could see the angry waves crashing against the shore and hear the restless winds lashing against the leaves of the frangipani trees .Dark green coconut palms swayed gracefully in rhythm with the whistlings.

The feeling was truly terrific and therapeutic !

Remember my motto...........when the going gets tough the tough go shopping? Well I do worry a lot about the goings- on in UMNO at the moment , and with the branch meetings due in a month's time I feel there is an excuse to go shopping and fishing. And where else can I combine these two passionate pastimes than in Langkawi!

Our fishing guru in Langkawi was Pak Hassan , a tanned fifty-something fisherman who knew the temperaments of the sea and the moods of our prey. On the second day of our stay , we took off in Pak Hassan's single engined boat with rods and baits............. ready to conquer the sea. The day's takings wasn't the least disappointing. We brought back a pail of cencarus and ikan kembong that were fooled by our appolo baits !

The third day was earmarked for shopping and adventure. I was taken in by the abundance of designs and shapes of crockery and kitchenwares on display at most of the stores. After about an hour or so of looking around I managed to put together a set of twelve different shapes of melamineware for my family barbeque needs . A heap of them and they cost less than a hundred and fifty ringgits!

Next came my usual patronage to my favourite baju kurung material shop. And as predicted by my significant other, I succumbed to temptation and bought three pieces of Italian silk. Yes they were Italian alright, and very attractive too.

Well that was enough shopping for one day............for my needs that is. The rest of the shopping

spree was spent looking for gifts for my clan and friends.

The shopping done, we headed to a simple lunch. Hubby suspected that I was already kenyang with the shopping and not really interested in food. I hate to admit it, but he was half correct.

The weather was still fine with bright clear sky and cool gentle breeze when we headed back to our hotel in our rented car. We decided to cruise along and enjoy the scenery. That was when I noticed how beautiful Langkawi had become. Travelling along the tree lined road puncuated by neat kampung houses really stirred this feeling of pride and appreciation for this beautiful island. At one point during a lonely stretch of road , I was lost in admiration and wonder. The scenery was overwhelming. The sentang tree with creamy white blooms seemed to line both sides of the road endlessly, at times forming natural arches along the way. It was as though we were travelling in a jungle with lush greenery and a tarred road winding admist this wonder of nature. It was awesome. Really awesome !

Suddenly I realised how fortunate we were to have a haven like Langkawi, nature at its best with white sandy beaches and tropical trees, shopping with choices aplenty and sports in abundance.

The BN government which developed Langkawi had done an excellent job. I pray to God that Langkawi and Kedah would return to the Barisan Nasional state government come the 13th General Election, Godwilling.

KAMPUNG WEDDING FEAST IN MODERN STYLE

As usual wedding feasts sprang by leaps and bounds during the school holiday seasons. I had seven invitations yesterday at several locations within a 20 kilometers radius of Kampong Gajah.

I had planned to go to all seven venues with my lady friends, so at 10.30 sharp seven of us packed ourselves in my brand new 4x4 and headed to our first destination. When we arrived some of the wedding guests were already enjoying the attractive spreads. An emcee somewhere announced our arrivals cos there were two VIPs among us, one a local legislator. That was very flattering, of course!

Now for the food. There was a tantalising spread, with kari tulang, rendang ayam and the never-to-be-missed pecal. Only the meal was served buffet style. I loved buffets especially at hotel restaurants and cafes.............. but at a kenduri ? I am not so much in favour. You see we ladies are all dressed up, so to go to the buffet table and dish out your own curry could be quite risky. Then there is the balancing act to the table with a dish load of food in one hand and a glass of syrup in the other amidst pebbles and loose sands. By the time we reach our table half the fun of eating is gone. Well, anyway we do not go to wedding feasts just to eat but to reciprocate our goodwill and sillaturrahim , right ?

We then moved on to the next feast on the list. As we progressed, we gradually decreased our load from the buffet table. And yes, all the feasts were served buffet style. I had VIP treatment though at Pak Abu's place where I was invited to the main table to eat with the newly weds.

All in all, the day's kenduri was fine but I don't really approve of this buffet style thing at wedding feasts. It somehow robbed me of the nostalgic mood of being in a kampong kenduri. This new arrangement reminds me so much of the hectic city life. And most of all I miss the pampering and extras that come with the old style of serving.

Guess I must be getting too old for kampong wedding feasts!

ONCE A BABY ALWAYS A BABY !

Today my youngest offspring celebrates her birthday.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY EMA !!

You were , and still are, the baby of the family. I still remember your baby round face and your dark curly locks, Being the youngest you almost always got you own way, which prompted your siblings to affectionately refer to you as 'the little boss'.

My cute ' little boss ' is now a beautiful , confident young lady. I thank Allah for your generosity and your caring nature. It pleases me to see you doing the things you love to do with passion and enthusiasm...........including baking cake!

Well Ema, may your cake of life be filled with icings and colours and may Allah always be with you.

A 'FINE' WAY TO TEACH OUR YOUNG!!!

Anybody's birthday coming up anytime soon ? How about having a birthday party at The Lobby, Parliament House, Malaysia!

The sanctity of the august house became a mockery when HINDRAF supporters brought a birthday cake and flowers to parliament. A birthday girl in 'birthday dress' blew six candles, surrounded by opposition MPs. This was a demonstration of sorts staged by HINDRAF supporters. All this at the Parliament lobby!

It was disgraceful. No one, but no one, should use the house for such occassion!

Parliamentarians, past and present, including yours truly who was MP for Parit 1995-1999, have never resorted to such cheap publicity and unacceptable acts, to say the least.

What examples are we setting for our young???

BARACK OBAMA ........A MOUNTAIN OF HOPES.

The Democrats of the United States of America are nearing their day of reckoning. While votes for the primaries are being cast in Kentucky and Oregon, Americans and the world are waiting anxiously for the tally and the indicators that would point to the potential Democrat nominee.

I have watched with interest the campaign trails, the vote swings and the high dramas that accompanied each candidate. I am indeed impressed with Obama's power of persuasion and excellent oratory skills. I feel that he is someone we can believe in to initiate peaceful co-existence in this world. He seems committed to the cause of democracy.

By the way, do you know that Obama's first name Barack, is interestingly Arabic in origin, ( barakh ). In 'OBAMA from Promise to Power' by David Mendell, Obama was quoted as saying that his name meant '' blessed'' in Arabic, and that his paternal grandfather was a muslim.

God bless you Obama and may you win the presidency!!!

YOU' RE SOO......ADORABLE !!

Seems just like yesterday we brought you both home from Gleneagles. You were so cute then and you are even more adorable now. HAPPY BIRTHDAY EXIR AND EJAZ !!!

TWIN TOTS AT THE RACES

     The not so enthusiastic twins with their Mama

My two year old twin grandkids had their first taste of organised sports today. It was Sports Day at their Day Care Centre. Initially Elixir and Elijaz had been picked to participate in the 'ten meters flat' but during rehearsal Ejaz did not seem to be in the mood ' to run for nothing'. He 'chose' to be wheeled by Papa instead .At least that was the plan. But what happened at the sports meet was something else !

The scene was quite chaotic. Kids ranging in age from 2 years to around six were assembled at the venue.The bigger ones were quite disiplined, but there was no way to get through to the younger tots. It was a mayhem of sorts! Most of the toddlers were not in the mood, and they surely made known their 'protests' through wailings and wrigglings.The antics that accompanied the din was quite humorous ,by the way.

No stroller race for me!

Mama, don't make me race!

Ejaz decided that he would not participate, wheeled or not, while Exir clung on to Mama for dear life.And there were lots of followers among their contemporaries! I have forgotten how difficult it was to coax young tots to put up a show in unfamiliar surroundings......until now. Most of the tiny tots were wailing and reaching out to their parents. It was difficult enough to put them on the floor, but to ask them to run ? It seemed next to impossible!

After a good one hour or so of waiting for the race to start, the kids seemed more restless. The organizers could do with a more appropriate agenda for the event. The lenghty recitation of the 'ten measures of security' should not be included in the agenda, Most of the kids did not understand what was said , while those who could were not in the mood to listen anyway. Hey, it's Sports Day ! The 'citation' was best suited for some other occassions.

By now it was time for me to leave cos I had to rush to Ipoh to see Makcik who had been warded at a private hospital.The twins stuck to their decision not to race after many efforts to make them change their minds fell on deaf ears.So I left without seeing my grandkids race. Well, better luck to me next time !!!

Elixir (L) and Elijaz (R), in a better mood

IS SILENCE REALLY GOLDEN ?

When the Mentri Besar of Perak , Dato' Seri Mohd, Nizar, was asked to comment on Mr Karpal Singh's statement regarding the power of the Sultan of Perak in the Dato' Haji Jamry's case, he kept mum as reported by the media. " No, no comment" he was reported as saying!

Words cannot describe the disgust I feel towards this kind of silent response. Why the cowardice to say one's mind -one way or the other? At least be firm in your stance. Show your voters that you have an opinion, especially at a time when one of your Pakatan partners dares issue a most uncalled- for statement, to say the least.

By keeping silent, does the MB therefore agree with Mr Karpal Singh's statement? Normally when the answer is no, especially in serious cases like this, people tend to make known their disapproval. However, as is always the case in Malaysian culture ...'Silence means consent '. I wonder..........!

WILL THE REAL CEO PLEASE STAND UP ?

I have had enough of this new PR govt drama. Even when the JAIP 's Director episode has hardly left the scene , now the EXCO of the PR govt, Dato' Ngeh Koo Ham, came out with another threat to our civil servants, as reported by the press, Sunday . Give show cause letter or terminate the services of those who do not work in accordance with the PR policy in Perak ?

Really Dato' Seri Nizar, does your EXCO member go around issuing threats as though he is the most powerful administrator in Perak? And do you not realise that your EXCO is acting like he calls the shots in so far as the state administeration is concerned? Wasn't it this EXCO and his party who wanted to boycott the swearing in ceremony of the Mentri Besar of Perak not too long ago?

Who is the "CEO" of Perak anyway? Oops............ I forgot , your party only won six seats in the 12th General Election!

WHEN THE -POWERS -THAT- BE REARS IT'S UGLY HEAD......

'Dato' Hj Jamry ordered to vacate his office at JAIP within 24 hours!' screamed the RTM news headline barely 2 hours ago. I was shocked. Appalled, in fact.! Dato' Jamry is a very committed government officer. high on intregrity and commendable in duty.He is very accomadating . always humble and would bent over backwards to help the needy. I should know cos I had the priviledge to work with him in Perak Tengah for eight years.Thus the unexpected turn of events concerning the well respected administrator of Islamic affairs in the state of Perak came as a total surprise, to say the least.

There are many questions that beg to be answered. Why did the Mentri Besar deem it proper to issue a 24 hours notice( as reported widely by the local media) to an officer of the state without outlining the reasons behind such an unprecedented act towards a JAIP Director? Does the MB know what he is doing, or is he so blinded by his new found political power ? Are the people of Perak to understand that hitherto any state officer is subjected to rash decisions without been given any chance to defend oneself? I would like to ask.........what philosophy or theory of management is applied by the PR government in this matter ?And, more importantly, does he not know that he is responsible and answerable to H.R.H. The Sultan of Perak ?

Dato ' Jamry is a dedicated govt. officer. I believe he is welcomed wherever he is asked to serve.JAIP 's loss is some other department's gain. However, on the positive side, this episode that happened to him is a blessing in disguise for the rakyat in general. The shoddy treatment accorded to Dato' Jamry, without any doubt, has put on show the antics of the PR govt in Perak. It is hoped that this worrying trend would lift the veil that has blurred the visions of the voters in Perak and elsewhere.The people now know the terrible mistake that they have made when they voted in the PR candidates. Never mind , .........regret away, it is ok; next time vote wisely and place your trust in the accomplished hands of the Barisan Nasional.

BALKIS.........THE MUCH COVETED "MAIDEN "!

I followed with interest the reaction of the new Selangor government with regards to the dissolution of BALKIS by its members three days after the 12th General Election. I read with disbelieve the statement issued by the Selangor Mentri Besar's wife, Puan Sri Salbiah Tunut, that she should be BALKIS's President as she is the Menteri Besar's wife (Sunday Star 27 April 2008). She reportedly gave this statement to the press flanked by Pakatan Rakyat's women elected representatives.

Actually,as a woman I am embarrassed by all this Pakatan-led showboating.

Did it not occur to anyone that on the day BALKIS was dissolved, it was still under the jurisdiction of the former president, simply because the new Menteri Besar had not been sworn in yet? To my mind, those who failed to understand this simple fact inadvertently displayed a lack of comprehension on a very elementary logic.

I have had the honour to be associated with BALKIS's counterpart in Perak, namely BAIDURI, and I found that the members were honorable and trust worthy. I have been told that every time there was a trip involving the association, the members had to pay their own way if they wanted to participate. In fact, there were known to be cases of member wives who wanted to join in these trips but could not do so because of the high personal expenditures involved.

So Datin Seri Zaharah Kechik, cheer up. To my mind, you did nothing wrong. Your intentions were noble. You wanted to be sure that the funds were to be secured for proper use. You did the right thing ,so don't ever let anybody tell you otherwise!

To those who are too eager and too quick to point fingers at BALKIS, think twice before you embarrass yourselves. This in an NGO, so doesn't this validity issue fall under the purview of the ROS? Why all the silly hooha? Please be reminded, that the voters are watching!

THE KERIS..........THE KERIS !

Now what was Hishammuddin thinking?

I read the other day that our Dato Seri Hisham was very sorry for waving a symbolic kris at PWTC which raised a lot of comments from within & without. Apologise for drawing and kissing the keris at The UMNO Youth General Assembly last year?

I just want to ask him one simple question.

Did he unsheathe the keris to 'warn' the non-Malays that he was in a warrior-bloodshed mood and woe betide those who crossed his path? If so, apologise away. But if not, why apologise?

In my humble opinion Dato Seri Hisham, you did the unthinkable. You used the keris in vain! But wait...apologise properly to the Malays as well. The keris is historically a very sacred legacy. It depicts and has always depicted the determination and empowerment of the Malays in the face of challenges and any impending attack to the entire community.

Now, was Hishammudin and his 'community' under a real physical attack from some quarter? Were we in real mortal danger with real mortal consequences? If yes, say so. If not, why use the keris at the Assembly? Was that a publicity gimmick, and was it worth it?

One should never ever, use the keris as a symbol merely to suit one's own mood & agenda. The keris was not designed for any one person alone!

AL-FATIHAH

One of my best friends, Hamsiah, passed away peacefully on a wet Sunday night ,20th April 2008 .She was not only my political allay, but also my confidante , having served as my secretary ( Wanita UMNO ) for close to fourteen years. We had our share of tensed and anxious moments as well as joyous and fulfilling days.

She sacrificed enormously in the spirit of political affinity, and was always prepared to give her best in the name of duty and commitment to her country and community. Even when she was diagnosed with cancer, she continued to contribute her service best as she could for the party, besides taking care of her family single-handedly . Farewell Hamsiah . I miss you dearly and will always treasure the bond that we share. May Allah be with you always. Al Fatihah.

OF ROTI CANAI AND NASI LEMAK.

Woke up this morning with a sudden craving for nasi lemak. Must have been the blog I read last night about someone eating nasi lemak bungkus at an R and R location somewhere along the north south highway.His nasi lemak sounded so convincingly delicious, that I just had to have nasi lemak for breakfast today! Talk about the influence of bloggers!!

After subuh prayer, I put on a casual baju kurung and persuaded my other half that a morning drive amidst kampung scenery and serene lifestyle would freshen the mind and soul .....and the therapy would only be completed with a plate of nasi lemak and kopi o .After all this was my home kampong, Kampong Gajah, and I had a whole three hours before my first community function .

There was this eating place I spotted the other week.So we started up the main road towards Telok Intan and turned into a mud track leadind to this wooden structure premise.From a distance I could see that the place was quite packed.We were about twenty meters from the entrance when I noticed the attention we were attracting. A set of no less than fifteen eyes were focussed on me, hubby and the car. It was very unsettling! One middle-aged guy even put down his morning paper just to join in the silent eye 'feast'. Hubby got the cue when I almost grabbed the steering wheel to make a Uturn back to the main road. Another people habit I was not confortable with. Why couldn't everybody just ignored us so we could eat our nasi lemak, pay the bill and took our departure unnoticed like they did in Kuala Lumpur! Ah well, that was the end of nasi lemak kampong. Hope the nasi lemak there was not that delicious after all..

Next stop was Telok Intan itself. We proceeded to this new Medan Selera on the outskirts of town. Good, there was
ample parking space..... too many infact, that hubby was spoilt for choice and went a full round of the parking lot before taking a space nearest to the entrance. So pleasantly unlike Kuala Lumpur..

We chose a stall selling roti canai. Hubby just loved roti canai and would unhesitatingly order roti canai for breakfast
on one condition ---- the roti canai must be direct from the kwali AND the roti canai maker must be handling the dough and doing nothing else! You see he had to be sure thet the roti canai maker did not touch his nose or clean tables while
waiting for the roti to be done. "The dough easily absorbed dirt and if their hands were dirty, the roti canai would be soo 'enriched' " he reasoned.

I had to have my nasi lemak. Firt stall did not get through my ISO standard. This particular stall had his sambal separated from the anchovies ! Didn't his mother teach him how to make the original sambal bilis! You mixed the bilis and the sambal in the kwali and not on the nasi lemak plate. My nasi lemak must be authentic. Nasi lemak cooked in coco-nut milk with onions and ginger and salt to taste. The sambal must be sambal ikan bilis cooked with blended dried chillies and not chilibok.Eggs must be hard- boiled , and slices of cucumber on the plate would neutralise the 'hotness' of the sambal. That's nasi lemak for you." Go make your own nasi lemak " my husband would say. And my children? " Mak, please, please open a nasi lemak stall
We can then enjoy our nasi lemak in peace," they said.

At last I found a stall that fulfilled my sambal bilis standard. I ordered the basic authentic nasi lemak plate and a cup of black coffee. I sat beside hubby, who was happily tucking in his second roti canai, waiting for my order to come. After about two minutes the waiter with the nasi lemak in one hand and kopi o in the other made his way to my table. He set the plate and cup of kopi o in front of me. That was when I had a full view of this grissly forty something man. His shirt , hanging loosely on his body, was wet and stained; his hair uncombed and everything about him was unkempt. Now how was I going to enjoy my nasi lemak ????

WHEN HE'S GOOD HE'S VERY, VERY GOOD; WHEN HE'S BAD HE'S ..............

Just came back from Ipoh last night. I was one of the priviledged grassroots to be invited to this very hyped meeting with our VIP officials. It was in every sense a no holds barred session .Very refreshing , yet not without its share of tense , 'sparks-fly' moments. Nothing serious though, just politics democrasy at its best. Everyone was given an oppurtunity to air his or her views.Some seized the honour of taking the floor and dancing to the music of the ever enthusiastic crowd; others shouted themselves hoarse to egg on the speakers with encores and catcalls, while a majority sat back taking in the morning's event with mixed feelings of awe and admiration.

To me it potrayed a total spectrum of emotions : pent- up anger, disillusionments, love and esprit de core, compassion and even unexpected outburst of sentiments best left untouched. I watched transfixed as each 'delegate' spoke with earnest and a degree of seriousness rarely seen before. Each proposal was carefully presented with every solution laced with pressure, emitting a sense of urgency as if the worries of Malaysia were the burden of this selected group of speakers who were now assembled in the moderately lighted room. But the surprise that awaited me was something out of the blue!

Normally dignified middle-aged leaders ,well groomed and exuding an aura of authority and sophistication were suddenly transformed into angry orators, quoting words so unpleasant that drew gasps of disapproval..... or was it approval from fellow 'grassroots'.I was totally taken aback. One well-dressed professional who was always respectful, mild-mannered and soft spoken suddenly reared his ugly head. He stood straight and defiant infront of the much conveted mike and bared his emotions throwing challenges and provoking the highly charged gallery.I have never seen this side of him before! Reminds me of a Communication 101 class I attended at Marshall U which, among others, dictated that every person had four 'characters' visible exclusively only at certain times and to certain people. Apparently what I was withnessing at that point in time was a side of him that emerged only very, very rarely. And what a sight !!!. This character was like a man possessed.... so adamant, so hostile and so not acceptable!!!.

Perak dialect, vocab and intonation, came to the fore. Words previously regarded as taboo flowed like a burst pipe on a stormy day. It was certainly a day of revelation. Angry young men displaying raw emotions and throwing caution to the winds, well adorned ladies poignantly taking in the scenario and at times tempting to pull some of these boisterous speakers by the ears ,and aged gentlemen trying to come to terms with this new breed of politicians, and lamententing the demise of well rehearsed opinions and polished manners. It was totally unbelievable! All pent up emotions broke loose, some well received,  others unrelevant and uncalled for. 


But at the end of the day, reasons prevailed. Admittedly, issues had to be tackled, personalities had to be cautioned, and actions had to be perceived to have been taken.

The officals who were treated to a show of diversed opinions and display of hitherto unexposed antics had an earful and an armful. The crowd dispersed with hope and expectation that this episode would pave the way to a storming of brains and the setting of new directions for the party; and that in the final analysis the party is supreme, that this sacred 'wadah perjuangan' should be preserved at all cost and that the light at the end of the tunnel is nigh!!!

CELAKA AYAM

Matahari masih terbit di ufuk timur. Helang di pucuk angsana masih berwarna hitam.Cempaka putih masih harum semerbak. Namun suasana tanah air kita diliputi mega mendung yang muncul dengan tiba-tiba tanpa dijangka , jauh sekali diundang.

Nenek moyang pejuang bangsa menggadai nyawa di medan pembebasan ibu pertiwi, tanpa memikirkan kepentingan diri . Kini, di simpang mana perjalanan kita di lebuhraya perjuangan politik ini? Lupakah kita pada perjuangan bangsa ? Mana letaknya rasa kasih dan sayang kita pada wadah perjuangan?

Generasi yang kita warisi tidak berlepas begitu saja tanpa memupuk dan membimbing kita ke arah pemeliharaan maruah dan ketuanan bangsa. Dari bumi Dato' Sagor dan Dato' Maharajalela berbagai pesanan dan pembahasaan diturunkan. Cicit Dato' Sagor , Allahyarham Dato' Mohd. Abas meninggalkan kata -kata hikmah yang diwarisi daripada moyangnya. . . .

Jangan diikut CELAKA AYAM .........

Ada makanan dikais-kais

Hendak berlaki patuk anak

Helang terbang khabarkan diri

Rumah tuan diberak berak

Dibawa bersampan menyeberang sungai

Bertelor sebiji rioh sekampung.........



Oleh itu hubaya hubayalah............agar nasi tidak menjadi bubur!!!

FIRST BORN.........BIG AMBITIONS AND A BIG HEART

My favourite son, aka my only son, was a big baby when he was born one morning on the ninth day of April 1968. He was a big baby ,weighing 8lbs 2 ozs ( sounds very much like dough huh?) - can't help it , that was how we recorded our offspring's weight back then!

He is still my big boy .........with competitive yet easy-going nature ,and persuasive charm . And very caring - almost to a fault! HAPPY 40th BIRTHDAY KIDDO and may Allah always be with you.

HAJI ZABRI........SADLY MISSED

Haji Zabri was a fine man, a good friend and a very hospitable host. He passed away peacefully in the wee hours of 1st April 2008. We had been working together for a whole term when I was a member of the state government EXCO. I know I might not have been the best of bosses; but nevertheless we had a fantastic working relationship. He always took the brunts whenever problems cropped up with the constituents!

He was selfless, very frank and was well accepted by friends and political foes alike. I haven't been able to "sembang sembang" with him as much as I had wanted to ever since I left office, but we did remember to meet up once in a while.

Haji Zabri left two daughters to mourn his loss........ and a host of friends. SEMOGA ALLAH MENCUCURI RAHMAT KE ATAS ROHNYA. AL-FATIHAH.

Ah women......when DO we get to be counted?

50 years of independence. 12 times of general elections. Half the country populated by women. And yet the status of women still leaves much to be desired. Examples abound as to how unjust we Malaysians are to women. Yes and I repeat Malaysians .........including women as well!

A case in point. Ever notice how kampong protocol treats the husbands of VIPs? At any public functions at constituency level, the wife of a wakil rakyat/VIP will be accorded a seating place beside her VIP or YB husband. As for husbands of VIPs or YBs, well,please find your own seat!

I would like to share here a very disillusioning incident that happened to me in 1995. I was then a newly elected Member of Parliament eagerly performing my duties and serving my constituents. I was invited to officiate a Family Day function. Family... ok? So I invited my husband to come along. I was full of excitement, this function being one of the first few functions that I would be officiating. As soon as my car reached the venue, I was prepared to be on my best everything, posture, modes of address, speech .....and the like. I opened the door and stepped out gracefully, adjust my sarong, straighten my baju kurung and put on my charming smile, ready for the task ahead, My husband meanwhile understandingly took his time and came out a good two minutes later. But surprise! surprise! ; the head of the reception committe with another person carring a tray whisked past me and headed straight to my husband. "Welcome YB' he greeted while picking a rosette from the tray and proceeded to pin it onto my bewildered husband's shirt. My embarrassed other half whispered something to him and pointed towards me. Our red-faced Mr.Male Chavenist mumbled something and make a Uturn towards me apologising profusely. Turned out he thought that the MP had to be a man! What maddenning logic!!!

Another time, another place. I was officiating a co-operative society AGM. I noticed that all the board members were men, so I thought I would chide them and suggest that they elect at least one or two women to the board ( me being a member of government administeration and all). The women applauded while the men in the audience smiled. Came refreshment time the topic of women board members cropped up again. I reiterated my stand. Then the Chairman of the board offered his opinion . " But..." he said " All the women are grandmas !" This from a man who was himself over the hill , so to speak. He must be sixty something and so were the rest of his committee. Hello! aren't all of you grandpas? The gall of these men!
How come it is all right for them to be committee members at a grandpa's age where as the same is not applicable to women?
And women, come to the fore and say your mind...PLEASE!

MY MIDDLE CHILD..........ALWAYS SOOO.....MANJA!

I remember that eventful afternoon of April 6 many years ago.Allah Almighty entrusted to me a beautiful baby girl with a fair "mango-sliced" complexion and dark wavy hair. You were, and still are, so beautiful, sensitive, warm and very manja. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MANJA , AND MAY ALLAH ALWAYS BE WITH YOU.!

Sorry, for the gap guys ( had to leave for kampong)

Now fo find Eric's venue. why must they have two padangs? The smaller kids ' padang was about 3 minutes sprint away We managed to squeeze our way among the audience of mostly parents and wandering children , just when Eric's group was about to proceed to the starting point. Eric was in Class 1A, therefore their class would be the first to participate. Phew ! That was close!

My next assignment was to videotape "Eric in action" in his maiden sports participation. Fine, except I had no idea how to operate his Diddid's videocam! You see, Tok was supposed to capture him in action after undergoing a thorough course in videocam handling from Eric's mom.And conveniently, Tok had to feel dizzy at this all important time and left Opah to handle this very complicated task. Ah well, what to do , just try and leave everything to luck.

Me in action

I positioned myself like a pro (gaya mesti ada) and just press the red button, of course after flapping out what looked like it could be flapped. Good, the screen showed moving objects! Not so difficult huh? Except the images looked giant sizes! Then it occured to me that the cam was in zoom mode. The screen had only one image......Eric's head. There was no time for trial and error adjustment. The race was about to start. Eric was getting ready to run, and Opah was at a loss. Eric leaped from the starting line, Opah trained the camera ,like a pro of course, and pressed the red button. Done! Got the image....... a full screen of the back of Eric's head! 

CONGRATS. Eric.You did very well and you looked so cute when you beamed with pride on getting the medallion. As for Opah......truly glad I was there with you.

My darling Eric and his medallion( picture courtesy of Fairuz)

Yesterday ...when everything went haywire

Today finally ..... my maiden post! Thanks DI, Da and Ma.The only 3 children I have in this world. Between them they managed to corner me, intimidate me and even bribe me (with free service ) to start this blog. At last my very own blog. So glad to be with you guys out there.

Yesterday was my grandson Eric's school sportsday. Me and Tok planned to drive up north to Ipoh to watch him race and to
see big sis Elise receive her outstanding awards at her school. I was supposed to be just a guest revelling in my grandchildren's achievements. But that was not to be.Last minute plan changing by the children's parents render me an easy victim of the' out - of- touch- Grandma' syndrome.

Firstly we ,Tok and me ,were entrusted with the task of sending Eric to school . Excuse me, which gate aaa...? Three gates and half kilometer of half running ,and half walking later, me with Eric in tow reached Gate no. 3; to be greeted by the gateman with " cepatlah u sudah lambat"I glared at him with my politically menacing look ang saying under my breath " don't u think I know?