DanielYKL

KUALA LUMPUR: In the early days of our independence, ethnic rights was the focal point of many an election campaign. That still resonates today where race-based political parties rule the country and dominate the political culture. During this 2008 general election, another focal point, it would seem, is emerging. Voters, political parties and electoral candidates are being asked to consider the demands of different religious advocacy groups, namely Islamic, Christian and Hindu groups.

Since Parliament was dissolved on Feb 13, at least three religious groups have announced their respective concerns, either to their members or the political parties, and the public.

On Feb 21, the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) issued a statement calling on people of these faiths, and Malaysians in general, to pray in these “critical times in the life of the nation”. It encouraged the people to pray for candidates who will live up to the common religious values which form the moral underpinning of the nation; campaign with mutual respect, understanding, consultation and dialogue; and strive to ensure national unity founded on the protection of the fundamental liberties and human rights of all Malaysians.  Read More>>

Malaysia’s churches are wading cautiously into politics by urging Christians to vote for candidates in next month’s general elections who champion religious freedom in the Muslim-majority society.

The call illustrates growing concern among religious minorities who feel their rights are being eroded by a rise in Islamic fervor, which many blame on overzealous Muslim bureaucrats in Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s government.

Churches began handing out brochures last weekend urging Christians to examine the platforms and records of political parties on “freedom of religion, conscience and speech” before casting their ballots in March 8 national elections.

“We want to hold every politician accountable,” Hermen Shastri, executive secretary of the Christian Federation of Malaysia, said Monday. “Many people may not vote for representatives who won’t speak up” for religious rights, he said. The federation includes the Protestant Christian Council of Malaysia, Roman Catholics and the National Evangelical Fellowship. Read the rest of this entry »

Men Are Just Happier People
What do you expect from such simple creatures?
Your last name stays put.
The garage is all yours.
Wedding plans take care of themselves.
Chocolate is just another snack.
You can be President.
You can never be pregnant.
You can wear a white T-shirt to a water park.
You can wear NO shirt to a water park.
Car mechanics tell you the truth.
The world is your urinal. You never have to drive to another gas station restroom
because this one is just too icky.
You don’t have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt.
Same work, more pay.
Wrinkles add character.
Wedding dress $5000. Tux rental-$100.
People never stare at your chest when you’re talking to them.
New shoes don’t cut, blister, or mangle your feet.
One mood all the time. Read the rest of this entry »

(Maybe it’s just a joke - but it’s a good eye-opener to help us decide on who to vote for. Do not be fooled by sweet promises. Listen to your heart. Not all that glitter are gold. Remember some may come in sheep’s clothing but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.)

While walking down the street one day a Malaysian politician is tragically hit by a truck and dies. His soul arrives in heaven and he is met by an angel at the entrance.

“Welcome to heaven,” says the angel. “Before you settle in, it seems there is a problem. We seldom see a high official around these parts, you see, so we’re not sure what to do with you.”

“No problem, just let me in,” says the man.

“Well, I’d like to, but I have orders from higher up. What we’ll do is have you spend one day in hell and one in heaven. Then you can choose where to spend eternity.”

“Really, I have made up my mind. I want to be in heaven,” says the Yang Berhormat

“I’m sorry, but we have our rules,” says the angel. Read the rest of this entry »

THE MALAYSIA GENERAL ELECTION IS ON MARCH 8, 2008!

Exercise your rights as a citizen of Malaysia.

Vote with a good conscience. Vote wisely. Vote without fear. Vote without prejudice. Vote for liberty. Vote for the future.

February 12, 2007 – that’s the day I had my laryngectomy surgery. I was wheeled from my bed to the surgery room at around 10am. And the next thing I know was that the doctors and nurses were inserting needles all over my body, from my ankles to my neck. At this moment I felt a bit drowsy must be due to the medication that I took earlier but still mindful of what’s happening. I remember there were at least two or three anaesthetists attending to me and a couple of nurses. They were deciding where they should insert the needles. And apart from all that, a lot of wires were stuck to body, I can’t recall where. Then I was wheeled into the proper surgical theater. There were at least four to five doctors waiting there. Then they transferred me on to the surgical bed and the nurses and doctors were crowding around me, and at this point I could not think of anything. This is it!  “Father, into thy hands I commend my body, spirit and soul”

Prior to the surgery, I can still think about how the surgery is going to be – whether will it be successful or not and will I make it through the surgery and what will happened to me even if the surgery is successful. Many other things run through my mind. After all this is a major surgery. It was a difficult decision to make.

Now back to the surgical room: Then I heard the doctors talking to each other and deciding what to do and how to do the surgery. Then this young surgeon, who is going to perform the tracheostomy, which is a surgical procedure on the neck to open a direct airway through an incision in the trachea (the windpipe), decided to start the procedure and was coordinating with the anaesthetist on how is she going to insert a tube through the stoma so that I can breathe. He then shaved some of the hair around my neck and marked the area where they are going to do the incision for the laryngectomy surgery. Then the last thing I remember was the anaesthetist telling me that she is going to put me to sleep and she is going to count to ten and I’ll be asleep. I only remember her counting to two and the next thing I know is that I woke up in the recovery room 10 hours later with a nurse calling my name. Yes the surgery took 10 hours! And that was exactly 1 year ago today! 12th of February is Daniel’s Day – haha!!! Read the rest of this entry »

Chinese New Year! To the children its “ang pow” time. To the parents it’s giving away of “ang pow” and spending money. To the grandparents it’s a time of seeing their children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren coming together for a family reunion. This is a time where everybody far and near will try to come back to their family home to catch up with one another and have a reunion dinner. There is another reason too; for some, if not most came back for the Penang’s food, especially the hawker’s food. 

On the Lunar New Year’s Eve and the first two days of New Year, the city is like a dead town. There is hardly any traffic. Why? People are busy having reunion and catching up with one another and some visiting relatives and friends – to give and collect “ang pow.” Also they are forced to eat at home with whatever food that is left over from the Eve’s reunion dinner as most if not all the Chinese hawker’s food stall are closed.  As for me, I have to resort and be contented with the mamak mee goreng and malay “nasi campur.” But comes the third day of Chinese New Year, the city becomes alive again. The hawker stalls are open again and everybody is out there looking for food. Man, it’s packed everywhere, from the smallest coffee shop to the biggest. And I bet you 80% of the customers are from out-stations or overseas. Yes, they come to invade the “famous” Penang hawker stalls. And that’s bad news for the Penangites! The price of food has gone up.  The hawkers will take advantage of the rush during the festive season. A bowl of Hokkien Mee that normally cost RM3.00 has gone up to RM4, and Char Koay Teow has gone up from RM3.00 to RM4.50 or even RM5.00. Everything has gone up an extra ringgit or two. But the thing is, to these people who comes from KL or overseas it is still cheap. My friend tells me that it is  still cheap compared with the prices in KL. And like my friend and his family, they will order everything there is and just share among themselves, like they have never eaten before.  Read the rest of this entry »