NS Issues All Ironed Out (4)

There are some people who do not think so. Check out http://no2ns.com and initiatives by Haris Ibrahim's NS: National Service or No-Sense

Time to gather momentum for change

Injustice in KL, Justice in Tibet?

Something to think about: If the Chinese can run wild like thugs in KL
going after pro-Tibet in the full eyes of the media (see previous
blog), just imagine what the Chinese government is doing in Tibet. its
not just "re-education".

Mobile blogged

Torch-RUN: Better Save Tibet NOW! (Updated)

Updated: 23/4/08

I head about the pro-Tibet supports but did not find any news until I came across these blogs:
Kuala Lumpur for a Free Tibet and find out how some of the pro-China kids turned out be tugs HERE.

Taken on monorail in KL.

I doubt if these kids know what they are fighting for. If they know that they are being made models for the media to spin another story. This guys is right, the media should stop distorting the facts.

The issue is about marginalization and supression. Many Tibetans have suffered with their lives. Most are well documented. I dread that one day, the Tibetan culture as we know it, will not be around any more. I pray peace prevail parties go into talks to resolve matters.

I don't think there is a need to disrupt the torch run, I also do not feel the Chinese need to be too "kiasu" (afraid or defeat) to parade the streets - which of course were not necessary.

Besides the sponsors SAMSUNG & LENOVO banners most part of the streets were filled with Chinese (students, I believe) waving banners and flags, some pictures below:

the closest I got to the torch (where is it? tough to find it when you have to take shots from the air and when everyone is blocking you ;-(

the Chinese came and full support....


... in support of the Chinese government's action on Tibet?...


Totally unaware of the atrocities over the past decades....

I think the local Tibetan Buddhist did the right thing, offer prayers along with other spiritual communities. Click here for the Vajrayana Buddhist Community's Press Release.

For the uninitiated, here are some info on Tibet and the marginalization they are experienced and experiencing.

NS Issues ALL Ironed Out? (3)

Less than 24 hours after posting my commentary on the RM1m facilities audit another death was reported, this time in Perak, read the report here and here. According to report, trainee Afiq Zuhairi Ahmat Rozal died shortly after being admitted into hospital. He had fever for 5 days before that.

In a separate incident, another trainee gave birth while in a training. Read the story here.

As usual the everyone is in the automatic "we will investigate" mode. This time, there were no immediate response from the Ketua Pengarah, Abdul Hadi Awang Kechil and no immediate response from Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye who in 2007 declared that ALL ISSUES IRONED OUT?

However, in what seemed to be a separate press report here, Tan Sri Lee is considering full-time assistant medical officers and nurses to be stationed at all camps in the country. Only considering after some many have died and after reporting in 2007 that all issues were ironed out? Obviously NOT all issues were ironed out.

I am truly concerned. What's happening in our NS camps? While I await the reports before commenting further, I hope transparency and openness will prevail.

NS Issues All Ironed Out? (2)

Reported in the Star here (Dec 2007) and commented in my earlier blog," NS Issues All Ironed Out?" I doubted if ALL issues are ironed out. In another recent report in the STAR on April 12, 2008 states that safety audit will be carried out on the camps "facilities and equipment ". I am puzzled. If all issues are iron out, why do an audit now? Should have done earlier and its report published? Never mind, need audit anyway. Fine. Read on.

For this initiative, the National Service Department and NIOSH signed a RM1mil agreement to "conduct an audit to ensure the safety of facilities and equipment in the camps for 18 months".

According to NS director-general Datuk Abdul Hadi Awang Kechil, he wanted to reassure parents of a safe environment.

Yes, only in Malaysia we can reassure parents through a press release, via the main stream media (and one wonders why some are boycotting them). The big question is - do you feel reassured? Are you comfortable with the measures taken, or plan to take? I know I am not.

5 months after saying everything is okay - these guys come up with an audit to check their facilities. I am not sure why an audit was not done earlier. There are too many questions and I am not sure if the answers - How will the RM1m spent? What about health aspects? Can we get the MOH involved? What are the milestones and deliverable of this audit? How long will the audit take? What are the terms of reference? Without understanding this in detail and reading press report alone, we have no idea if the audit will truly be carried out.Will the results be published? Some may even ask which crony is going to get the job this time? Too many questions.

I bet will not be answered because it seem to be a mere press event where two people shaking hands. This audit is not mentioned anywhere else. NOTHING is mentioned in the NIOSH or the NS website. The NS website's last press release was dated October 8, 2007!!

I AM ASKING - IS THIS FOR REAL?


Guess what, the Chairman of the NS Training Council and NIOSH is non other than (the crocodile tear generator) Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye. If the audit is genuine and efforts efficient, it should not have taken 5 months to get from the NS Training Council to NIOSH. It should also be transparent.

I have called it many times before - make the process TRANSPARENT! Give us, the parents, the full confidence by through proper disclosure - don't leave us in the dark while you pray and pray that no more stupid and unnecessary accidents happens. Prayer is not enough, it has to be complemented with hard work. I prayed for Lee Lam Thye to resign or be fired - that obviously did not work. So I did something - went to polls to make some changes. At least some things are happening after the Tsunami. So, time to do something Tan Sri, quit the bullshit and do the right thing (at least do something right). I am sure you are smarter than this.

I am repeating this from my previous blog....

"YBhg Tan Sri, do not treat us like kids - be open and tell us, work with us. Otherwise, just suspend it or quit! We do not want to see any more crocodile tears and finger point after the next incident."

and take NS director-general Datuk Abdul Hadi Awang Kechil with you.

Looking for Good Food and Great Service?

our kids enjoyed this dinner - all food finished!

...... just go to Paris - the New Paris Restaurant in SS2, that is. Its in the building opposite Mongo Jerry.

It was a very satisfying meal, and great service. The service should be emulated by others. Food appeared within 5 minutes of ordering! Service and response was excellent. Charges was reasonable. Above all, food there was good.

Publish Post

There is Much Hope

With the likes of Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, Khalid Samad and Lim Guan Eng and many other Pakatan Rakyat leaders going beyond religion and race - there is surely great hope for the future. The future of Malaysia is seeing and acting without the race/religion-based filtered glasses.

We all need to drive this message through at homes and in our schools. Parents, start doing the right thing, start teaching our kids to be "colour-blind". Dear "Keris-waving" Minister of Education, nurture our young in schools - my proposal and suggestion here. If he still likes waving the keris around - perhaps use it to fight colour-blindness in schools.

We can do our bit, at home - talk to our kids and encourage them to see beyond!

take a breather and enjoy the view

I sometimes take long look outside to enjoy the view. With deep breaths, the view of the sky sometimes brings a different perspective of the run-round-the-mill stuff we do daily.

HAVE A GREAT DAY AHEAD!

Now we may have possible future statesmen

Shah Alam MP is demonstrating some very interesting qualities when many BN MPs are still stuck in thie own limited and at times racists worldview. By stepping into a Catholic Church and speaking freely without any complain from fellow PAS members not only demonstrates his reconciliatory approach that garners strong support from the ground. It shows spiritual strength and faith in his personal religious practice. There was no fear or threat from different faiths if our faith and practice is strong.

On the usage of the "Allah" by Christians, khalid shows deep appreciation of history which influences religion and the fallacies of owning words. He gives the first impression that leadership for Malaysia in the near future transcends religion. We look forward to the day our leaders hold true to their religious beliefs while maintains a deep respect for others. Perhaps ther is hope for Malaysians, MP Khalid Abdul Samad had just given us that hope.

It also seems that Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, who is also the Head of the PAS Research Center, the PAS Think Tank, admitted he had gone for Sunday Service at St Paul The Hermit in Ijok on March 16.

I hope these efforts can be viewed openly and that some real change is starting to happen.

More from Malaysian Insider, The Star & Malaysiakini

(Blogged from mobile device)

Do we have possible future statesman?

He said the right things, he has been an UMNO veteran and above all
spoke about justice for "Malaysians", not just the Malays. he took a
stab at the keris waving UMNO Youth Chairman.

This is the man from Gua Musang. Perhaps Ku Li will be able to rise
above the others and truly transform UMNO. at least
http://www.malaysianinsider.com thinks so.

What do you think?

Will a statesman (stateswomen) please stand up!

Aristotle -- "What the statesman is most anxious to produce is a certain moral character in his fellow citizens, namely a disposition to virtue and the performance of virtuous actions."

















Azalina Othman - no need to stand-lah.

Your first press statements was absolutely confrontational - any good leader would start with start with a reconciliatory note.

No, not Azalina, seems she prefers to pick a fight.

Being a 5th Black belt in Tae Kwon Do She obviously did not understand the spirit of this wonderful art of self-defense. In any case, to refresh her memory here are stuff she would know and appreciate. Which Tae Kwon Do school did you learn from?

TaeKwon-Do’s philosophy can be mainly summed up by two things, the oath, and the tenets.

Oath

I shall observe the tenets of Taekwon-Do

All students must swear to carefully observe, acknowledge and live by each one of the TaeKwon-Do tenets.

I shall respect my instructors and seniors

A student vows to respect their instructors and those senior to them (both in age and rank). An instructor must also act respectfully to all students and persons in order to be respected and therefore not misusing TaeKwon-Do.

I shall never misuse Taekwon-Do

One will never misuse TaeKwon-Do to harm others, for their own personal gain or for any other manner that is unjust.

I shall be a champion for freedom and justice

The 4th line, “I shall be a champion of freedom and justice”, can apply to many areas of life and although many may think one would have to do something amazing to achieve this, this part of the oath can be respected by even the littlest things one does in their daily activity. If one becomes more open-minded to understanding others ideologies, or the way others go about their lives instead of being quick to judge, then maybe the world would be a more understanding and accepting place. Thus allowing people to have the freedom they deserve. By accepting this belief one is bringing justice to this world and therefore being a champion of justice.

I shall build a more peaceful world

The final line of the oath is “I shall build a more peaceful world”. One can also easily obtain this goal by going about their daily lives in a more peaceful manner. If everyone did this, the world would obviously become a more peaceful place. Although some may think this means to never show any aggression, it does not mean that a student would be prohibited to defend themselves against an attack directed towards themselves. That would be defeating the purpose of TaeKwon-Do, an art of unarmed self-defence. However, it does not mean that a student may provoke aggression towards another individual, as this would be breaking the oath. In this world, conflicts can often occur over common misconceptions of information. One must understand the full story and have all the facts before he can truly make a justified judgement.

Tenets

Courtesy (Ye Ui) Showing courtesy to all, respecting others, having manners as well as maintaining the appropriate ettiquite at all times, both within and outside the dojang (designated training area).

Integrity (Yom Chi) Although may be similar, this form of integrity takes on a more wider role then defined in the common dictionary. In TaeKwon-Do, integrity means not only to determine what is right or wrong but also having the conscience to feel guilt if one has done wrong and to have the integrity stand up for what is right.

Perseverance (In Nae) One will persevere time and time again until they have achieved a result which is adequate towards what one was trying to achieve.

Self-control (Guk-Gi) This means to not only have control over one physical acts but also their mental thoughts and actions.

Indomitable Spirit (Baekjul Boolgool) To have indomitable spirit means to have the courage to stand up for what you believe in, no matter what odds you are up against to always give 100% effort in whatever you do.

Education Ministry 4-Star "silly" Rating

In today's STAR, the Ministry Of Education tops among the last administration’s 28 ministries in the Star Rating Scheme conducted by Mampu (Malaysian Administrative and Modernisation and Management Planning Unit) last year. What does this mean to Education system when on the same day there were at least two report of teachers with violent streak. This award means nothing to the quality of education.

The Ministry of Education is a good record in building good things for education but nothing on the true quality of education. First, it was SMART School, followed by VISION schools, now we have CLUSTER schools, next... mega schools? What is so smart about schools other than the computers, projectors and poorly written local software (that of course enriched several people along the way). Where is the vision of eduction polices and future? Its quite a challenge to see beyond a keris waving in front of your eyes and all the issues of polarization in schools all get cluttered up. We need to really go beyond all this and have true vision of the - not mere buildings. Maybe we need a new education minister, but if they come from the same racist-orientated party, we are will be no better off.

When will hear real innovative policies? When will see single-minded committed to education-teachers morale, qualification of teachers, innovation in curriculum (not just computers or access to information)? Enough of these silly ratings and go ficus of the real job at hand and seriously think about the future of our children.

12GE - One Month On, will the true statesman please stand-up

..... And the Rakyat remains in the background. It is really sad to see the blaming, public mud slinging and washing of dirty linens in public. it is also sad to see our elected representatives behaving like spineless ..........(decided not to mention it, let you fill in the blank yourself). Sometime from March 8 till today, most people have forgotten that the BN won the elections with a simple majority and they need to govern and get policies back on track again.

It seems these spineless creatures back down on their words so quickly, which leaves me wondering if they ever have us the Rakyat in their heart all. Politicans are talking about blogging - almost everyone has a blog - including the same people who critized bloggers. politicians are threatening opposition held states, like the tourism minister's act to cancel all tourism MoUs with these states. Yet, the Opposition bashing, the internal bashing still continues.

What everyone in BN seem to be doing is positioning for power, talking and thinking only of
about themselves. While this is becoming a very interesting circus show, yet people are not laughing - it merely affirms that those who voted for the opposition did the right thing.

Just to remind you guys, the people who voted you in are still here! The country needs to go on and you still need deliver on your promises made during the GE.

In the muddy politics, it is not important if the PM resigns. it is more important who will stand up among the ruling party to bring back some sense of unity. Will the true statesman please stand up.

(clue, maybe GERAKAN has some answers)