A Quick "Victory" Post

I have been swamped with work over the past 3 weeks. Hardly found time to blog. 

However, I must express the the victories at the 3-bye elections are victories for the people. I hope the UMNO-led ruling BN, acknowledge that the people want a change for a CLEAN, efficient, effective government. A government that would recognize all Malaysians as equal and abandon racial politics. 

BTW, did I say 3 victories? PR won 2 in Semenanjung and I understood Batang Ai received tons of "goodies" - a victory of sorts.

Well done PR!

in Support of Earth Hour 2009

Get your friends & family to Switch OFF all lights on

MARCH 28, 2009 Between 8.30pm - 9.30pm

Spend that time together in prayer, meditation or being with our families

LET'S DO IT for our children, our future!

English policy reversal in primary schools on the cards

Came back (exhausted but happy) kids camp at KKBC and came across this head-line

English policy reversal in primary schools on the cards

My immediate thought is: What are trying to do here? If we are serious about the level of our English language, then do something about it! Spend the time and energy to fix the stand of English! We have wasted a lot of time arguing if we should teach maths and science in English and now it will likely to be reverted to BM.

I am not against or for the teaching of Maths and Science in English, I am concern we are not really fixing the problems we need to fix with regards to our education system. In the mean time, our children are the ones suffering.

Finally, brilliant display by Liverpool!

(the rare post on sports and football). And at the right time too......whacked REAL and best of all beating MU 4 -1!!!

Way to go Liverpool!

When will it end? (If ever possible)

Source of picture (www.nbcagusta.com)

No words, can describe my shock when a 17-year-old entered a school in Winnenden on the morning of March 11 and gunned down 12 people, including young children.

I offer my prayer and condolences.

When will shootings and killing end, if it is ever possible. 

Malaysia: A Place Where the Blind Can See

.......and the deaf can hear.

Yes, even the blind can see how Barisan Nasional use every government agency from the police, the rebranded old wine in new bottle MACC, the courts and the media to bend, twist and redefine every aspect of the law and Constitution to cling on to power in Perak. No one really cares as long as they stay in power.

The deaf can hear the cries of "foul" against the wishes of the people. Our unelected leaders go about without the care and concern.

Sadly, no one really cares.

While our elected and unelected leaders are busy getting along with their own business of redefining democracy in our country, I wonder who is looking at our economy, especially with reserves flowing out and not in. Who's looking and taking care of our future - our children, education and all the other responsibilities that comes along with being leaders.

If this goes on, we may just have to do things ourselves. Of course, enlist the blind and deaf to help.

For now, we got to help ourselves, at least until the next elections. Hope we will not be too blinded and deafen by then.

Rethinking Family & Education

… I think was the theme that ran throughout the interview this afternoon.  We need to look at a more holistic view of education and family. In our modern society, education is just not about going to a place to go pick up knowledge and pass examinations.  The current education system is something fomulated in the past based  on historical experience, the challenge for our children is to education for the future, a future that will not be quite the same as we are experiencing today or in the days of our parents and ancestors.

How can plan and work for the for the future - all from the home? Sound like a big task.

Not really.  It is about giving the opportunity to experience life which befits our value systems with a global perspective. Simply put, in our homeschooling environment, the home, is “plugged” into our environment without the constrains of leaders and politicals leaders devoid of vision, care and love where our children and the family comes first.  There is some truth when we say "charity begins at home" - in this it is not just charity.

So, don’t just think about homeschooling.  We invite you to come find out more, experience it and see if it fits you. 

Interact with us.

Going on the air at BFM 89.9

Wai Leng and I will be on air Monday afternoon (Mar 2)@ 3.pm where we will share our thoughts on education, specifically homeschooling

Catch us if you can on FM 89.9
on listen online at http://bfm.my

What's wrong with our education system?

I posted a comment on Education Malaysia here and I though I would post and share this and add a little more to it.

Our education system has chugged along over the past 40 years on "auto-pilot" mode. Problem is, its a 40 year old plane that has no auto-pilot capability! If we go on this way, there is only one direction it will go to. Some people have bailed out into private schools, learning centers and homeschooling. 

On the surface there are just too many problems. I think, the real problem is leadership or lack of it! With occasional policy speeches and grand launching of policies, politicians and businesses taking the opportunity of providing products & services to the schools, nothing is really happening.

We need decisive and knowledgeable leadership who can engage all stake holders, not provide mere lip-service! 

We need leadership that know and can formulate policies in line with global economic, technological and social development. Having said this, a deep rethinking of schools needs to be done. Like learning, we need to go beyond the limitations of our minds. Education need to go beyond schools.

For the sake of our children, change need to happen!

I don't even want to talk about the issue of teaching maths and science in English. We need to really go beyond that, waybeyond!  One of my fundamental belief is that parents need to take a more pro-active role. Proactive to question and drive improvements to our education systems and even take things into our own hands. Sadly, there is not much time. Each time changes are made to the system, one to two generation of our children suffers. Drastic actions needs to be taken, we needed to bail out children out from this 40 year old plane!  This is one reason why we homeschool, for those who kepe sending us emails asking us why. 

But we need to still fix it. Speak up, blog up, bring concerns to the PTA, write to the Minister (if that is any help), engage your local Parliment Representatives. Even join politics to make the change. 

Don't forget to spend time with your children, be there for them, read with and to them. Education is in a big part coming from us parents.

For their children and theirs because this is our home and will be the home for our children and theirs and theirs..... 

Pseudo-democracy

Is Malaysia a Democracy or Pseudo Democracy?

Got this from a book Wai Leng's currently reading and reflecting on the political events unfolding. I believe that we are living in a Pseudo-democracy.

I would call pseudo-democracies, where electoral  participation or representation is hampered by economic or educational disadvantage, by racial or sexual bigotry, by unequal access to funds for the escalating cost of campaigning, or by voter apathy caused by disillusion with the corrupted process.

Robin Morgan, "The Demon Lover: The Roots of Terrorism", Piatkus,1989

The situation has a strong implication on the quality of our lives and the future of our children. This means that we either go with the flow and adopt an apathic attitude. We could participate or support movements to help make a a change to democracy. Of course, there are those who could afford it, leave the country - walk or run away!

What would you do?

Winning by DEFECT....

Some win by default, but there are those who win by DEFECT(ION).

This is what I think about Perak - DEFECTIVE victory.  It's not really winning but who cares, some are celebrating. During this defective celebration, some made money on Gamuda shares while others take to the streets. There are those of course who mourned (see picture below).

source: Malaysian Insider

Whatever it is, we need to find to enjoy the little things in life, does this video remind you of someone?

Enjoy.

May peace come to PERAK soon.

Why?

To my friends who are wondering why we have been lighting candles in PJ on Sundays (whenever we can), here is a post you should read: ISA - Frequently Asked Questions.  Thank you Haris for this post.

Of War in Gaza

Living under occupation and not national sovereignty (picture source)

It has been a while since I blogged. Much has happened in our family, our country and elsewhere. Top on my thoughts - the Israeli invasion of Gaza. While think I understand the situation the and the reasons for the attacks, I do not agree to it - violence is never the answer, or response. This action perpetuates the conflicts even further. Lives are lost, suffering a plenty. I personally think that an opportunity to respond with non-violence was lost. It seems that the easy way to resolve problems is by sending in the rockets and guns. Pretty barbaric!

My heart and prayer goes out to the suffering of the Palestinians people. I also read that many Israeli people opposes the war. My prayer goes to them too.

May peace prevail!

Finally, we got Arian in the pool!

Thanks to Amrita who managed to do it, Arian is now happy to be in the water.

Video: while trying to get him into the pool

Video: after he realized that the pool was like a giant bathtub!

After that, the little got on on a buying spree, goggles, trunks and (Spiderman) arm float! Yup! He is all ready to take on the pool!


Olympics 2020! Here we come!