Uni-Versity

Posted on July 26, 2006 by Tricia

This is a record day for me: 9 postings in a day.

When inspiration strikes, you answer its call, and this is the final entry for the day:

Did you know the word University really means “unity in diversity”?

We have got it right all along when pushing for a society that is united but practices its various cultures! Now how do we put that into action… thinking caps on, everyone! But wait a minute, this ought to be practiced within universities. In Malaysia, you say? Little hope then. Gottes segen dein Land!

Posted in Language | Leave a comment

Dystopia!

Posted on July 26, 2006 by Tricia

I learnt a new word today: dystopia.

A dystopia (alternatively, cacotopia[1], kakotopia or anti-utopia) is a fictional society that is the antithesis of utopia.

A dystopia is usually characterized by an authoritarian or totalitarian form of government, or some other kind of oppressive social control.

Amongst the characteristics of a dystopian society are:

  • State propaganda programs and educational systems that scare most citizens into worshipping the state and its government, in an attempt to convince them to believe that life under the regime is good and just, e.g. Alan Moore‘s V for Vendetta.
  • Strict conformity among citizens and a general assumption that dissent and individuality are bad, as in We, where people are permitted to live out of public view for only an hour a day, and are not only referred to by numbers instead of names, but are neither “citizens” nor “people”, but “numbers.”
  • A state figurehead that people worship fanatically through a vast personality cult, such as Nineteen Eighty-Four‘s Big Brother, We‘s The Benefactor, or Equilibrium‘s Father.
  • Fear of, or disgust at, the world outside the state.
  • A common view of traditional life, particularly organized religion, as primitive and nonsensical.

Why does this feel vaguely familiar?

Posted in Philosophy, The Cause | 1 Comment

Hail Big Bro

Posted on July 26, 2006 by Tricia

My goodness, it was just yesterday that I lauded the social engineering processes as outlined in 1984 and Brave New World. Apparently our leaders seem to stick closely to authoritarian tactics. Does AAB think he is Big Brother?

Article 11 forums to discuss inter-faith issues must stop immediately because they are deemed to cause tension in our multi-religious society, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said.

If possible such discussions should not be carried out at all. It has passed the stage where it is worrying all of us. The Government will monitor the situation and developments.

How delighted one and all must be that the government will monitor the situation! How willingly we are to delegate all responsibility into their hands, since (of course) we fully entrust the governing of the nation to them, for crying out loud! But Wong Nai Chee, MCA parliamentarian pointed out clearly that:

Sweeping the issue under the carpet will not placate the minority groups into silence … assuming them into a pressured position from the strident voices of majority group. Firstly, the constitutional rights of every Malaysian is a matter of public concern, and secondly, the objective of the forums is to discuss matters on freedom of religion and it does not question the position of Islam as the official religion of Malaysia.

The general consensus on religious issues among the public could only be reached by having a rational public debate.

Is there such a thing as rational public debate in this country? Surely you don’t imply this is an impossibility! *with wide innocent eyes* Anyway, now Article 11 is seeking a meeting with our beloved Big Brother.

“(We) will seek a meeting with (him) to request further information about his concerns regarding the coalition’s activities and to provide clarification on the misconception that links (us) with the IFC.

Let’s see what Big Bro has in store for us tomorrow. Every morning a new story, everyday a new discovery in the continuing sandiwara journey of Malaysia. Keranamu Malaysia!

Posted in Religion, The Cause | Leave a comment

Clueless Bliss

Posted on July 26, 2006 by Tricia

From Bernama: (and boy oh boy, are they living in an ancient world. With a single statement, they blot out the significance of ANY sort of New Media, including value-added Wikipedia and online citizen reporting.)

Alternative media, that include websites and blogs, should refer to the mainstream media for news and resources and not the other way round, said Deputy Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

“What is happening now is that there are some mainstream media that pick up news from websites and blogs and other sources on the sidelines.

“Unfortunately most of the information are not based on sources that can be relied upon,” he told reporters upon arriving at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport, here Tuesday evening.

Therefore, Zahid said, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s call for mainstream media to avoid competing with Internet websites and blogs in publishing materials and news that were speculative and sensational in nature, was right and timely.

The Prime Minister Tuesday said that mainstream media should play its role in delivering information to the people while being aware of the need to not report anything that could prompt adverse reactions and create uneasy situations.

Zahid said: “To me, though the people have the choice in seeking news sources, the best option is to obtain information sourced from the mainstream media where their credibility could be defended.

“If the statements are untrue, those responsible are often taken to court. What is important is the crediblity of the material and the source.”

Posted in The Cause | 2 Comments

Lebanon Shelled

Posted on July 26, 2006 by Tricia

This is real. Humanity merely cries out to us from behind the computer screen, but all the way in Lebanon the cries are real. Read the letter below:

Saturday, July 15, 2006

Dear Family and Friends,

First of all, I want you to know that we are okay. We live up a mountain in a primarily Christian area far from the main fighting. As I mentioned before, from our home we can see the airport. The fire is still burning from two days ago.

It has now become clear to us that Israel had been waiting for this moment. We believe that the two soldiers captured were probably used as bait, sad and cruel as that sounds, to lure Hizbullah. The Israelis knowing that Hizbullah has been wanting to kidnap soldiers for a swap, plotted this and Hizbullah being aggressive took the bait. Just the week before close to 6,000 Israeli soldiers mobilized near the Lebanese border along with tanks, etc. They were planning something. I find it hard to believe that with a new mobilization, two soldiers were able to wander off and just get picked off by Hizbullah. And even if they didn’t set the trap, destroying a country is not a response to two kidnapped soldiers. Never in the history of war has a country made such an assault for those kidnapped. Still not saying that what Hizbullah did was right, but there is also no doubt that Israel’s over reaction demonstrates a ploy to not only destroy Hizbullah but also the rest of Lebanon. There is no other explanation for the extremely hostile onslaught that has occurred and for President Bush to turn his head the other way. Not that the US ever admonishes Israel for anything it does anyway. The European Union, Russia and China all condemn Israel’s exaggerated aggression yet in the UN Security Council, the United States has already vetoed two resolutions condemning Israel. Thus, no action can be taken against Israel. From the U.S. and Israel’s point of view, Hizbullah is a terrorist organization and they had planned from long before this assault. The Lebanese are once again caught in the middle and the people are suffering greatly. n To hear Bush say that Israel has a right to defend itself with this level of retaliation really makes me wonder what kind of conscience the US government has. I heard US representative Allen from I don’t know what state approve of Israel’s actions stating that Israel is just targeting Hizbullah targets. Well, let me tell you the facts not just some US propaganda for this onslaught. You come to your own conclusions:

Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections, The Cause | 1 Comment

Ethnic Relations

Posted on July 26, 2006 by Tricia

Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and caldron bubble.

What has been bubbling is now frothing over (not yet spilled – this should wait). The Ethnic Relations guidebook used in UPM (Universiti Putra Malaysia) has been somewhat controversial. There is much talk now over what should be included when teaching a sensitive yet crucial subject as Ethnic Relations in local universities. (of course ignoring in the process all those who flock to private universities – let’s not mention those foreign ones; what traitors to the country they are especially if they stay on for good contributing to white men’s economy!)

I’m not sure if Malaysiakini will sue (I’m quoting and citing you validly here) but this letter written in to Malaysia’s alternative news source online is an interesting opinion to document: Some may beg to differ.

It (ethnic relations) should start being recorded and interpreted from the arrival of the Malays in Malaya as the only people indigenous then were the Orang Asli. Then and only then will the the young generation of Malays will stop referring to or thinking that non-Malays are ‘pendatang’.

Many will recall the statement of our previous prime minister of 22 years made in Sarawak many years back referring to the Chinese and Indians as ‘immigrants’. Activist Dr Kua Kia Soong, in his immediate response said and I quote ‘… so are the Malays, history is our witness’.

Let us teach the present and future generations true history, without colouring, prejudice, bias, or adulteration – the true facts as they happened. That is history. Let us be honest. There is nothing to be afraid of the truth. (KSN)

Tricky, tricky this. What is the next move in our Royal Cardgame? Ahh.. how much more interesting to see what unfolds in Malaysian drama than to watch Winter Sonata Korean dramas in bed.

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Brave New World

Posted on July 26, 2006 by Tricia

Read one of those books I “should have read but never got round to” over the weekend: Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. Written in 1932, it had an insight too deep for its time. Predicting that humanity would be reduced to merely that of continuous pleasures. In order to maintain a socially stable society, it was necessary to remove all possible barriers to pain and sorrow. This included pregnancy, parenthood, love, monogamy, individual opinion, personal feelings.

And in its place you had an order all too perfect and complete: the breeding of babies in test tubes, altered according to the purposes for which they would eventually serve: the Alphas, Epsilons and Betas and so on. Each class of infants would be socially conditioned into believing this was the caste for them – there was no way out.

And if ever there was the feeling of restlessness or being disturbed at anything in this Order, you would pop a pill of soma in, or a number of them, depending on how long you would like to escape into another world. Soma relieves you from depression, pain and suffering on this earth – instead transports you into a paradise, an ethereal world inside your head.

How far are we from this, really, 74 years after Huxley had that brilliant idea? Let’s think about it. You have a pill-popping nation. Think Prozac Nation. Think all sorts of medication that allow one to transcend the painful, real world – which eventually can kill, if not your body, your mind, your heart.

Social conditioning. What really has society been socially conditioned to believe? That certain things are necessary in order to keep society in its comfortable place and position? That anything out of the ordinary will ruffle feathers, step on the growling lion’s toes so an implosion is bound to take place?

And then of course you have the Savage, named so because of his believed and presumed position – uncivilised. But oh how much more civilised this creature is! Because of his knowledge of Shakespeare and how this means the world. The question of what reality is arises. Where from do we draw inspiration? The perfect squeaky clean sterile environment? What is a perfect society? Is it really necessary to impose regulations such that all and all alike behave the same way, subscribe to the same teachings?  (Huxley goes the extent, proving that the most ridiculous of beliefs can be imposed upon us – something to think about.)

In the end, the book (like Orwell’s 1984) provokes questions that are applicable in both the political and spiritual realm. Politically, what level of control is leveraged upon a nation and citizens to achieve social stability but giving up individuality? Spiritually, what sort of happiness is false happiness? If it is imagined and imposed, does it become genuine? Is perceived happiness truly happiness? Personally, I choose pain and gore. Give me the fight, the furious battles of suffering and blood. Also give me emotion, happiness, elation, frustration, love, truth and freedom. O Brave New World is not so brave and not so new after all…

Posted in Literature, Philosophy, Reflections | Leave a comment

Thoughts on Kuching

Posted on July 26, 2006 by Tricia

Kuching is a beautiful city, with a river weaving through its heart like a silver snake, alight with tiny lights and stalls at night with friendly folk chitting chatting to the other, the slow wooden boat sliding across the water’s surface with war-like shouts. Gambir Sarawak sold on sidewalks unbeknownst to innocent female folk. Powerful scents seeping through the air, turn around and find a lion in your face, many of them dancing and swirling in a trance of drums.

People civil and kind, clean city with hardly trash around. We have much to learn from Sarawakians. Most of all, less ethnically polarised than us in the West. You see people from different races sitting at the same table, eating and dining, chatting like the oldest of buddies. Colour is not so much a dichotomous black versus yellow versus brown versus white.

No, colour in Sarawak has little meaning, as they are merely different shades of the same source of earth. With no distinction that markedly differentiates one from the other, each can comfortably share food and space, the little of civility that we in the West have failed to achieve in recent years.

Issues seep in and out, but the great big white Parliament still stands far away from their pearly River in Kuching.

And yet, yet I am drawn to the enchanted mystical beauty and lush forests, mountains of the other side. What is it worth to satisfy your mind and not your soul?

Posted in Personal | 1 Comment

Away but Back Refreshed

Posted on July 26, 2006 by Tricia

I’ve been gone for some time, both physically and mentally trying to figure some things out, but am now back and refreshed. Quite strange is the way a blog can take a life of its own while you are away investigating and thinking about things. My site visits have tripled while I was away, mostly due to the search engines and what has come up in the meantime: “picture of lina joy”, “lina joy photo”, “lina joy case in malaysia”, “sejarah malaysia” and so on, repeatedly. This is a mark of what interests the public, ain’t it?

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Gen M

Posted on July 11, 2006 by Tricia

We had our Generations X and Y, but now has come the time for Generation M, or so it seems according to this new website “Gen M Web“.

Calling themselves true-blue supporters of ex-Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir, they are arranging as welcoming party for his arrival at the Subang airport. The coalition of more than four hundred folk seem to really treat him like a celebrity, with pictures of him plastered all around the website, selling T-shirts and car stickers… this looks more like a music pop group fan club!

Much of this has been sparked off by Dr M’s rather vocal attacks at current Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi on a number of issues, the most controversial of which includes the running of the country by default by his son in law KJ.

Tun M certainly seems to be on a roll these days. Wonder what’s up his sleeve. Finally, for a bit of comic relief, have you heard of the Institute of Tun Dr. M’s Thoughts? I thought that was hilarious. But on a serious note, let’s really see what this Generation M, hardcore diehard fans of our old regime, is up to.

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments