Brickfields Kuala Lumpur. Pic by KL Monorail.
You are currently browsing the monthly archive for September 2009.
Tags: KL, Kuala Lumpur, Night shots
.
Since I can’t decide which song from her I’d like to put up here, I’ll insert a clip to illustrates better her significance.
About ten months ago, I distinctively remember hearing the news online. As her passing was inevitable, the sadness were proportionate, enough that I remember all day singing Mama Africa (Chico Cesar’s version) to my then eleven day old nephew.
Tags: Apartheid, Mama Africa, Miriam Makeba
Shah Alam Section 19 (23) Hindu Malaysian Temple
So I finally decide to break my silence on the issue. In some ways, I am disappointed in myself for what little I’ve done regarding this. I apologise for dismissing you, those who have been seeking, sometimes provoking a comment (perhaps more) from me. Besides being busy, what happened was too unacceptable to me. Thus I choose to become selfish in an attempt to be in denial.
On Thursday last week, I received the following e-mail from a Malay friend.
“…Please join us this Friday,the 4th of September, 8:30 pm in front of the De Palma Inn Hotel in Shah Alam where we will be picked up by someone from the temple to take us there”.
Take us where?
To the temple in section 19, Shah Alam. The temple that was proposed to be re-located to section 23. The temple that sits in the eye of the controversy.
- Excerpt from The beautiful Malay by Haris Ibrahim, The People’s Parliament
I apologise, sincerely, for this extremely distasteful image, behaviour and insult.
Not too long ago, there was a group of disrespectful ignorants (not radicals or extremists) who embarrassed themselves and many others by their choice of conduct in protesting towards the relocation of a Hindu Malaysian temple to a Muslim majority populated neighbourhood.
Last week, (family friend, now) friend Juana Jaafar and a group of other Muslims went to visit that place of worship and interacted with the people there in ways of respect and understanding, among other things. As I was tied up handling post-production work for two projects that took place in one day only a few days prior, which Juana came to help, I can’t remember if she had just mentioned this to me or did actually ask me to come with.
Juana, Ineza, Julia & Hafidz (I think) at the visit.
This is right up her street as she did Religion for her Bachelors and Civilizational Studies for her MA. On my end, I suppose I could call her a political analyst, activist, researcher and journalist. For her blog, click here.
Activist & lawyer Haris Ibrahim wrote about the visit on his blog, The People’s Parliament. Juana, among many (many) others, commented on that post entitled The beautiful Malay (somewhat in reference to Marina Mahathir‘s The Ugly Malay). Her comment was also in Facebook Notes where I was tagged. Below is an excerpt of the comment, which struck me for a number of reasons I don’t feel the need to elaborate.
we don’t always have to move in big groups to make our point. and we certainly cannot afford to wait for another incident to happen before we make our move.
April 2008. Pravin Pillai, Zain HD, Juana Jaafar, right after one of the events we organised together ended. Pic by Sarah Kamarudin.
I actually only had just met Pravin for the first time, two months prior to this pic, and Juana at the same meeting after many years of not seeing her. This is by far, for me, the most depressing post I’ve written here. Now, a little after midnight, I actually need that shower.
Tags: Freeze for World Earth Day, Juana Jaafar, Pravin Pillai, RandomAlphabets, UCM, United Colour of Malaysia
Buenos Aires. Jan 2009.
.
On my last day of the 5+ week trip of the continent. In the train from two ends of the line. Tigre (the delta) to Retiro (Capital Federal/city centre). This man came in a few stops before Belgrano. I knew he was coming as I heard him sing in the previous carriage, so when he came into mine, I got up and stood in the middle to get a good recording. Hope you enjoy the classical song as did I. If you don’t, I suppose you can call me posting it a wasted effort.
.
Tags: Argentina, Buenos Aires, Busker, South America, Train
Exactly seven days ago, 31st August, the collective I am part of organised the Merdeka Train Party. Below, is a Note on Facebook written yesterday by one of the participants whom I recently got acquainted with.
.
Team 3 sang, danced while holding back to our hunger and thirst till iftar.
‘Liberation of the mind is nurtured through constant practice of its ideal. One would not appreciate the value of freedom without embracing its moral sanctity. Our journey in life takes a sudden turn every now and then and least inviting is the hump which slows down the course of natural flow. Marking our sign of liberation by chanting Merdeka has been easier said than done as I witnessed the development of a National Day celebration prank into a social testament of the Rakyat.
The Merdeka Train Party organized by Random Alphabets was one of its few projects in engaging the masses to stand for the causes they identified with themselves and ideally share their conviction with the crowd. Marking as a sign of liberation the participants mostly represent the seed of our nation i.e. younger generation unites together in expressing their belief for ‘One Malaysia’. The method itself may strike as jovial yet what truly embodies them is the profound message of faith they share as an entity.
Working hand in hand to decorate the monorail as explained by the mastermind Zain HD, “we are decorating for a birthday party and it is Malaysia who is celebrating its birthday” in itself shows an understanding of our Independence Day where the experience of singing aloud to the patriotic songs and waving the flag may seem trivial except the fact one appreciates the message once it is embed in their soul throughout journey. This was how the Merdeka Train Party stood as a metaphor.
Malaysia is a cultural potpourri where its diversity should not be reasoned but instead lived by harmoniously. It is not hard to tackle the differences when the approach is by preaching tolerance. At heart it is easier to love than to hate when the ship of self righteousness is abandoned.’
Niagara Falls. July 2006.
A not so fine example of two people who were denied a shower for an extensive period on a roadtrip. Coincidentally, today, by request I actually agreed to go to someones place unshowered, as was the host. Who later betrayed me by getting a (long) one and rubbing it in my face.
.
Not up till two days ago when I published Kiss, did I find out a dear friend of mine has been following this blog.
Recently when the offer of a full time job was in process, talking to Pial about it when she was back in town for a few weeks, I realise that there would be no more the times when we both somewhat self-employed individuals could indulge in the convenience of watching a movie during working hours on a weekday. Online a few days ago, she coincientally mentioned this same concern to me.
As with friends that spend time together, many things happened. I will share one that went and will go a long way.
When Pial was in New York for an internship, I went for a visit/holiday for three weeks. My baggage allowance, was 64kg. I promised her before the trip that I could bring back 32kg worth to KL for her.
At the check-in counter at Newark airport, I find out, to my ignorance and surprise, that my seat was (still) not firm which meant the Waiting List. This is not always a big issue. But it is, when you only have RM48 (useless) and USD.150 left of the unexpected USD200 loan you had taken on the trip (from Pial when funds ran out).
There, alone, assessing the situation, I called my father and he comfortably said, ‘if you can’t get a seat, just stay on la.’ Besides being broke, of course he had no idea that I had already missed the first two weeks of second year law school and I imagine then was not the time to share my schedule, albeit this was something I did every single semester.
Despite being a solo traveller, to my unfrotunate fate, out of the only few people on the Waiting List, everyone got a seat except me. I am told that I can only get on if I pay on the spot for an upgrade to Business Class which costs USD600. This was forty minutes before takeoff AND I’ve two minutes to decide.
It was about then that Pial arrived last minute at the airport with the suitcase I’m meant to bring back for her. I quickly explain the situation and asked for a(nother) favour. A few minutes after they swipe her card, I am rushing so hastily to the plane that I forget to drop-off my Exit Form.
Egypt, June 2006.
It’s amazing how pleasing a cup can be. Some insist, with milk. Wouldn’t mind having one with one before bed tonight.
I won’t go into how I just had this thought a few moments ago, but I will write it out here.
To me, as a man, for me personally, the best feeling to have right before you sleep, is the feeling you/I get when I kiss a girl once, on either cheek, or forehead. Once, and solely at either of those places. I’m not sure if it’s the romanticism or symbollic gesture behind it. I really don’t know. Reason here, is neither required nor relevant.
And when I say girl, for me, for this, I am referring to either my little sisters or my (future) partner, wife. Maybe once I have a son, I’d include him as an option as I am having this view and writing it now, based on the position in life I am in now.
.
.
*The above was written not too long ago. Ironically, in reference to its opening, I myself have forgoten ‘how’ I came about this thought.
Recently, I got a set of new songs that I seem rather hooked to. It is indeed a breath of fresh air and I’m not sure if it’s a case of affecionate withdrawal symptom, or fantastic taste in music. Either way, it’s a blowhorn call for a perasan case.
.
- I Like Giants – Kimya Dawson
- Saint Jerome – Coconut Records
- Les Etoiles – Melody Gardot
- I See You, You See Me – The Magic Numbers
- Cemetary Gates – The Smiths
- Rise Above – The Dirty Projectors
- Sunny Moon – The Cat Empire
- Genius And The Tramp – Milburn
- Look For The Woman – Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip
- Badman – Natty
- Elephant Gun – Beirut
- Where Do The Children Play – Cat Stevens
- Daughters – John Mayer
- Bridge Over Troubled Water – Elvis Presley
- Warisan Wanita Terakhir – Teacher’s Pet
- Hello Hello – The Cat Empire