Where is tolarance?

I am not sure how many people heard about the incident in Bangsar recently. The NST's Syed Nazri wrote a commentary here only after Lim Kit Siang highlighted it here. We shake our heads and wonder what's happening to our society. I am sadden to know that the Revathi and Suresh case is still unresolved, in the name of religion families get broken up and happiness gets thrown out the back door (or front door). Where is tolerance? I feel it makes more sense that the inter-religious dialogue be carried out immediately and I think the Inter-Religious Commission is a good move to start with. I also appreciate the MALAYSIAN CONSULTATIVE COUNCIL OF BUDDHISM, CHRISTIANITY, HINDUISM, SIKHISM & TAOISM (MCCBCHST) in their efforts. One such effort in the the publication of a booklet that represents a memorandum of concern submitted to our country’s highest authority which sadly has not been responded (at least not publicly). It is good to know that the MCCBCHST is been active in the forefront here and elsewhere.

Where is tolerance when the putting up of the images of different religions is not accepted like in recent case in Bangsar? Where is tolerance when in schools only religion is made dominant. We have heard of so much horror stories of the death of religious tolerance in Malaysia such as here and here. It does not help when other religions makes disrespectful remarks about other religions here. I am sure there are much more website and blogs that expresses their own opinion. Is this a sign that the degeneration of our society getting worse?

It it also sad when within religious organizations continue to have bickering and in-fighting happens, and allow the personal ego to dominate. Yes, there are and will continue to be differences in thoughts and perspectives, in the Buddhism is is called ditthi (interesting article on karma and ditthi by Bikkhu P A Payutto here).

I personally feel we all need to see the bigger picture of social justice, tolerance and development. Yet, we must see them from the smallest perspective - our own personal spiritual practice and communication with God.

Can play a role, each and everyone of us? I pray, we look into our hearts to find that peace to bring back tolerance into our society.
May all beings be well and happy.

Happy Fathers' Day Dad!

my personal fathers' day message from Amrita

Fathers’ Day was last Sunday (Jun 17). One of the biggest challenge of Fathers’ Day (like any other “days”) the challenge is to separate the commercial environment telling us what to do, how we should celebrate or even how to spend money on such an occasion from the genuine celebration to appreciate fatherhood. For me, just being with my family gives joy and happiness. Having my kids make cards for me is just as special. I got some of the best cards this year and every year. Here are the cards and letters I got this year.

Sam in her usual creative style

I guess more importantly, Fathers’ Day is beyond the reminder of my responsibilities to my family. I guess any father (or mother) knows the responsibilities. Even my children can list these responsibilities out – especially since I realized that in school she "studied" moral, civic and character building as actual subjects! Lord (interpret any lord) knows why there must be these three such subjects in school. Academically, they have learned well. On the other hand, practice is another matter. As I was saying, responsibilities are a given – something that needs to be done.

An attempt by Arian (with help form her sisters I guess)

Beyond responsibilities, fatherhood is about facing challenges. Such are these challenges that can so easily tell us to just give-up trying. It is so easy to retreat inwards and feel pity for ourselves. If you happen to be the sole breadwinner in the family, you will encounter this as an even greater challenge – especially when there so much uncertainty in our livelihood and factors beyond our control.

For me, fatherhood is not merely about fulfilling commitments and responsibilities; it’s about – personal development and breaking down of our mental barriers - working hard and being happy at the same time. It is extremely difficult to go through tough days at work, yet come back without bringing some of these negative energies back home. For this I appreciate my dad. He has gone through good and challenging times and up till today, he will not stop at anything to help his children. Yet he finds the time and space for himself. I have not made any card for my dad but I want to say I appreciate the things you have done and I love you dad!

Happy Fathers’ Day (and everyday) and to all fathers reading this.

KV Soon

The content of
Amrita's letter

Malaysia, My Root

Last night I caught the Premier of the series "Malaysia, My Root" on ASTRO AEC (Channel 19) by Wong Kew Lit. This series documents the Chinese in Malaysia and how it is assimilating in to Malaysian society. The first in the series, talk about mainly the Peranakan Chinese in Melaka and Kelantan (yes, Kelantan). One interesting thing highlighted was that one of the Masters of the Wayang Kulit is a Peranakan.

There were several other features in the hour-long documentary including several youths who have been observing Thaipusam by participating in the Kavaadi.

I feel this is a very interesting documentary which I recommend everyone to watch. This documentary is special to me as it help me understand my own roots as Chinese as we continue to evolve and change in our Malaysian community. I feel we must understand, appreciate and link history with our lives.

I am definitely excited about the program and will watch the rest of the 12 episodes.

Remember:
ASTRO Channel 19
Time: 7.30 pm
Sundays

Farewell Week

It was a busy and hectic past 2 weeks and have not been able to blog much. Last week was dominated by news of death. First it was the 100 days anniversary of my Wai Leng's father passing. Then it was a friend's mother who passed away in the early morning while cleaning the house. On the same day, another friend's grandfather passed on - he was 99. On the same day, we heard the news of the demise of Loga the Alleycats. I have always enjoyed the Alleycats ever since my schools day when they came and played our school event. I dedicate this song to my friends who have lost dear ones........."jangan-lah kau bersedih hati"



Let's remember the good thing of our dear ones and continue to dedicate merits.

May 13 - finally got a copy

MAY 13 - Declassified Documents on the Malaysian Riots of 1969



Actually, I got it last week. Came into my office in a mysterious package, without the sender's name. Thank you Praveen! It was a pleasent suprise. Reading through the early part of the book really shakes the foundation of my historical knowledge - mainly the "official" history. It seems that our nation needs to relook and rethink our entire mind-set of what it means to be Malaysian - at least this is what I felt. I will share more thoughts after I finish reading the book. I think every Malaysian should get a copy of this book.

You can obtain them at (taken from Elizabeth Wong's Blog):

a. MPH said they don’t want to sell it, as KDN has advised them not to, even though the book isn’t banned. In the updated English version of the news there appears to be a change of instructions.

b. Kinokuniya said, because the book is controversial, they will practice self-censorship and not sell it.

c. Popular said, they will sell it - and this is exactly why I hold a Popular Bookstore card for the past five years.


d. You can also get copies online at Malaysiakini's Kinibooks

You can also drive to Singapore to get one.

SMART ART

You are welcome to visit my children's art blog

http://smart-art-designs.blogspot.com and give us your comments .

Nothing Exciting on TV?

Try the newest reality TV.




Poles apart from the all inspiring talk by Carly Florina. Sometimes I wonder if I should laugh or cry to see the highest decision making body in our country in such a manner. I am also wondering how or what to teach my kids....... (still trying to figure this out) anyone has ideas, let me know.

Lecture by Carly Florina

Just heard Carly Florina's lecture on my MP3 phone. It was a lecture in the series The DFJ Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders Program held weekly lecture where entrepreneurial leaders share the lessons of experience with the Stanford community. I have following this lecture series for over a year now, heard many speakers - enjoyed most of them. But Carly's lecture was by far the most inspiring I have heard so far.

To me what was interesting was her experiences as leader and her thoughts about leadership and change and making the right choices. She started he career as a secretary because she was "unemployable" with a Medival History and Philosophy degree, parents objection after she dropped out from law school and having to make decisions and weigh options each time she came to a wall. How she ended with one of the biggest technology company was also interesting.

There were many things said on but what struck me was the how she made her choices "life is not one choice and done......... we need to do the pros and cons (and) search your heart........". That pretty much sums up a lot of my own situations and thought processes.

I don't want to tell everything here but I recommend you listen to this lecture and be in touch with the rest of the other lectures thay might interest you.

Credit: picture source from Wikipedia by António Milena/ABr., 2004

Links:

1. Carly's lecture here: http://edcorner.stanford.edu/downloadMaterial.html?mid=1679&fileId=6471

2. STVP Website here: http://stvp.stanford.edu/

Buddhism: Official Religion for Thailand?

Are our neighbors going down the path of Malaysia? I was reading a news article in the Bangkok Post, April 7 where it was quoted that the concern that if Buddhism is not adopted as the official religion it "will entail grave consequences because Buddhism can be overtaken by other aggressive religions if the state authorities will not provide sufficient protection". This remark is sending a chill down my spine, especially after a recent highlight of religious issues here in Malaysia and the Al-Jazeera program on apostasy. I pray Thailand do not walk this path.

In the Buddha's teaching, the Buddha constantly reminds us about the danger of me, mine and the attachment to the self as a cause of dukkha. I think this is situation is exactly the opposite of what the Buddha teaches. Some monks have claimed ownership to say Buddhism in Thailand is theirs and will vow to fight to protect it.

The article further remarked that According to supporters, the national religion clause is only a matter of recognizing social reality because most people in Thailand are Buddhists while the national culture and history are closely intertwined with Buddhism. Besides, the King is constitutionally required to be Buddhist.

According to the same article, the military has already expressed support for the Sangha's moves. The parliamentary committee on religion has also turned the clergy's demand into its own proposal to the Constitution Drafting Committee, thus making the Sangha's petition officially in the legislative pipeline.

It also quoted that the Sangha sent a troop of monks to the sacred Bodhgaya pilgrimage site in India, to take a fighting vow. There they publicly declared that the Sangha would lead a nationwide boycott against the draft constitution if Buddhism is not institutionalised as the national religion.

In another article, it seems that there are sensible people who feel that it is more important to understand why youths are turning their backs on Buddhism. They too felt that the sensitivity is needed especially in light of the seemingly endless violence in the deep South, where the gap of mistrust between Muslims and Buddhists remains as wide as ever, and any move to nationalise Buddhism could easily be exploited by the Islamic extremists to further widen the divide.

Phra Paisan, a respected and socially-engaged Buddhist monks in Thailand questioned the Sangha's motive and gives a very poignant perspective. I feel that his article is a stark reminder to the Buddhism to look inward to solve our problems and not to look outside to the Government to solve the problem of social problems and the decline of Buddhism.

Hence, I cannot agree more that Buddhism is a religion of peace and compassion. Which explains why Buddhism and other religious faiths have, for centuries, co-existed in peace and harmony in Thailand. To mix Buddhism with nationalism is a dangerous gamble which does not bode well for multi-religious harmony in the long term.

Links to this article:
Clamoring of a national religion (By Sanitsuda Ekachai, Bangkok Post, April 7, 2007)
Thailand: Keep religion out of charter (The Bangkok Post, April 7, 2007)
Thailand: Not in need of 'status crutch' (By PHRA PAISAN VISALO, Bangkok Post, April 19, 2007)

Ditelan mati mak, diludah mati bapa

Ever heard of this saying? Losely translated it means that if swallowed, your mother would die and if spit out, your father would die. Some people call it catch-22 situation though it may not be a very accurate translation. A better word describing the situation would be dilemma - a situation where in a situation, neither one if two decisions will be suitable.

image from http://www.thisisamericansoccer.com/

Choices are always difficult especially when most the time the choices we have been making were relatively easy to make or when we do not have to make them. However, recently dilemma has fallen upon the devotees in a Buddhist community somewhere in Selangor.

Devotees are being made to choose - temple A or temple B? Must decide, lobbying is intense for one of the sides - wait a minute...... did I mention lobbying? I am just wondering since when Buddhist organization need to lobby for support and members? The last time I did any lobbying was when I was in a political party. With the private meetings, "buy you makan" get togethers the race is heating up. But wait a minute, who is racing who? Somehow, I saw only one team and they are racing very hard against.....(who is that again)?

This situation makes the above sayings relevent. People are being torn between one child wants to go to sunday school A while another wants school B. Families are beginning to feel the pinch. Husband wants to go to temple A and wife wants to go to B. The dilemma continues....

I remember when I was young(er), in a Dharma talk, a monk spoke about dilemmas and difficult choices. This monk told me that people think tend to think in a box - in one direction. He reminded me that sometimes, we need to make many decisions, often times, we need to think outside the box. Sometime, we need to decide NOT to make a decision and at times continue to create more and more choices - this only makes the situation worse. We were also reminded by this monk that actually there is only one way....


The way of our heart. This way can only be achieved when we learn to quiet out minds and listen to ourselves, as the answers lies within - not what other people say. The result might be just something we did not think of earlier at all. So, don't get caught in a perception of dilemma, just ...

Take care my friends!

We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves. - Buddha ...

RM1.3b on Education Complex - the obsession with BIG buildings continues.

Updated (May 6, 2007):

In an NST article here today, Our Education Minister clarified (one day after) that the RM1.4b complex will be a consolidation of the 27 teacher training institutes in Malaysia into one, with the RM1.3 billion Nilai education complex becoming the main campus and the rest as branches. According to the NST too, He also added that each branch would have its own niche area and speciality such as early education, special education and physical education, besides offering general teaching courses.

No start date was given and I hope we can expect more piece-meal information over the coming weeks and months.

Original posting:
If anyone read the NST today, you will find this article on the building of an education complex in Nilai. This complex will cost tax payers RM1.3b to be build in two phases. It is suppose to strengthen the teaching profession and improve teachers surroundings and welfare.The project would also provide the facilities and infrastructure for strengthening professionalism in the teaching profession as well as for capacity building. I am just wondering how the above objectives achieved. We do not even know when it will start, when phase 2 kicks in and when will it complete. I wonder if the Minister knows. If he or the ministry knows, nobody is telling.

I searched the MOE website and found nothing. Even the Minister's speeches have not been updated since the beginning of the year. No detail of the implementation of the Blueprint is even mentioned in the site. Is everyone busy with implementing the blueprint perhaps? I am sure the Minister has been giving speeches since January but nothing has been posted. So much for transparency. The MOE website reflects the actual department. You walk into the department, if you want information, you go to the right officer after directing you from one place to another. If you want something on the web you click here and there but don't really get anything and walk (click) away somewhat frustrated. The good thing about the web though, is that we do not have to answer many questions while being directed. Welcome to the information age of the Ministry of Education!

This RM1.3b center project seems to come up from nowhere and I am just wondering where it is heading and why the obsession with big buildings. Could the money be put into better use such as:
a) increase salary for teachers (can hear clapping the in background)
b) appoint good trainers and consultants to train and upgrade teachers nation-wide by conducting regular training nearer to the teachers (logic tells me that paying one person to travel is much cheaper than asking many many teachers to travel to one place)
c) fund more teachers for higher education, upgrade themselves (more clapping)
d) upgrade facilities in schools (teachers will surely be happy, students will be too)

and things many teachers will tell you.

I am looking forward to what happens next. Stay tuned. If anyone has eyes and ears on the ground at the right place, let us know.

Al-Jazeera on Blogging (in Malaysia)

Managed to catch Al-Jazeera's 101 East on Blogging. Interesting discussion some my find interesting....



Jeff Ooi's Screenshots (featured in the above video clip) gives some depth in his blog.

Happy Wesak 2007/2551

We would like to wish all our Dharma friends a very happy Wesak Day!

May we all continue to find peace in our hearts and wisdom in our minds.

KV, Wai Leng, Amrita, Samanta & Arian

How did you celebrate Wesak?

I had a good Wesak celebration. For me Wesak began with a Puja followed with a special meditation on the eve. The only peaceful moment of the entire Wesak Celebration. Later on Wesak afternoon, we had a brief family offering where I got lotus candles for each of our children to offer on our family Shine.

On Wesak morning, our Sunday School Kids did an excellent presentation on the Album "Come and See - Ehi Passiko" held at the Shah Alam Buddhist Society's magnificent new building. The teachers were fully committed and passionate about the kids performances. The parents were all fully supportive and equally excited. The teens and youth group as usual, came up with ever exciting and innovative games - very well done in raising funds.

Immediate after the performance of I was all tired and exhausted, just wanted to leave the . When I got home I crashed in between editing the video and photos of the day's events. When I got up, it was time to go for the Wesak procession at Nalanda. It was a quiet, relatively and peaceful event. There was a very well done exhibition done by the students there. The procession was relatively quiet and peaceful. Something I had hoped for in this Wesak.

Overall it was generally a "busy" Wesak. How was your Wesak celebration?