Happy Lunar New Year To All !

While we are celebrating, let us not forget those who are suffering.
While we are eating, let us not forget the poor.
While we are out dancing, let us not forget the weak.

No matter who you are and what you are, happiness belongs to all !
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We have found the wow factor !

When Barack Obama was sworn in as the first black President of the US and when he took the oath of office with one hand on the bible as Barack Hussein Obama, the epitome of democracy in US is being projected for the world to see.

The people of US have chosen their new President with the belief that he can take the country to greater heights amidst the financial and economic crisis but never base on the color of the skin. For such a historical moment, it is with hope and interest that the world is anxiously waiting to hear the inauguration speech of the world's most powerful man.

The following are extracts (blue color) from President Obama's inauguration speech which I thought can be useful political lessons to our ever omnipotent government:

1) For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.

For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.

For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sanh.

Yes, our forefathers came from Indonesia, China, India and many other countries to seek a living in this land so that their children will not live in hunger and sufferings.

Yes, they toiled in sweatshops and plowed the hard earth to feed the children

Yes, they fought the communists together and also seek independence together.

Why must then, one be treated differently from the other?

When the rules of law are viewed as sacrosanct to one and discriminative to the others, fairness and equality are denied.

When those in power refuse to change, the people will revolt for change.

2) Those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account — to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day — because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
Do you still remember the Auditor-General's annual report?

With so many blatant disregards for accountability in government expenditure, it is just incredulous that there is hardly any action being taken against the culprits. With such impunity, is it any wonder why there is no trust between the people and the government?

When those in power refuse to change, the people will revolt for change.

3) We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
Similarly, we are a nation of Christians, Muslims, Buddhists and others. We have also tasted the swill of 'civil war' of the May 13th incident which had truly divided the people. Let us buried the hatreds of the past so that our children will never get to taste the swill again. Let us maximize the diversity of this country to bring greater peace and benefits for the people.

When those in power refuse to initiate change, the people will revolt for change.

4) To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
Yes, the corrupts are already on the wrong side of history for far too long. With corruptions breeding corruptions, history will eventually repeat itself. The greed of the corrupts will make them cling to power at all cost such as the blatant use of the draconian ISA, for cost to them is nothing when they can reap millions from the country's wealth.

When those in power refuse to change, the people will revolt for change.

And change it will be.
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A Thank You Message No.2

1) First and foremost, I would like to say a big thank you to the people of KT for their beliefs in change and the Bloggers Team for their incessant 'live' reports from the KT by-election, without which the people, especially the bloggers will be misled by the MSMs reports which are mainly skewed towards the BN.

2) The road to Putrajaya is getting clearer now. As such, it is pertinent for Pakatan Rakyat to stay united and focused on its ultimate objective: to change a corrupt govt. The next major hurdle of significance to PR will be a victorious election in Sarawak's state election. With this victory, it will confirmed the change in Malaysia's political milieu which the people have been clamoring for a long time.

3) It seems PAS has managed to win some support from the non-muslims who have all these while deemed PAS as a religious extremist party. With such successes, PAS must play its part more prominently to explain to the non-muslims of its stand on various religious issues whereby, any misunderstandings can be resolved while close cooperation can be achieved among the people in general and the PR component parties in particular.

4) And what about the smorgasbord of goodies that have been promised by BN?
Well, do not be surprised that the promises will become compromises which will re-define the earlier promises. See what I mean? Never mind, let us wait and see.

5) I would also like to express my sincere thanks to Ezam for his relentless onslaught on Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim and our PM-in-waiting for his propensity and intensity to 'buy' over the voters. The stupidity of one man has made the voters of KT to choose wisely while the desperation of the other to win has confirmed the traits of the BN government: cheatings and corruptions.

Related post: A thank you message
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Of money, greed and happiness

How much money does a person needs to be happy?

When even the world's 36th richest man, German billionaire, Adolf Merckle can commit suicide, then my next logical question is: Can money gives a person happiness?

However, because human beings are simply avaricious, the will to cheat is simply too overwhelming.
The greatest financial frauds of the year, Bernard Madoff's Ponzi scam and India's Satyam fraud are testimonial to this.

How did Madoff managed to con his clients of USD50 billion through the Ponzi scheme is indeed incredulous. Currently, Madoff is under intense investigation in the US and is highly to be charged. Is he a happy man with all his cheated wealth?

Satyam Computer Services is India's fourth largest tech company which had been trading with a manipulated falsehood account. The sheer greed of its founder blew all up and is currently waiting to be charged. Is the founder-chairman with all his fraudulent wealth a happy man?

In Malaysia, I have heard of many stories about wealthy people who are very rich but are truly unhappy about their lives which are mainly caused by broken families. Because of their families' wealth, the prodigal children will usually either get landed on the wrong side of the law or there is simply no love for their parents when they grew old and will wait patiently for their parents' will to be announced.
The sadness and unhappiness of the parents are further compounded when there is rivalry among the siblings over the inheritance.

And not forgetting our politicians.
There have been far too many cases of some of the politicians who will use their power to plunder the country's coffer through their ever indigenous corrupt means.They will manipulate, defalcate and swindle with anything that are pecuniary. I have no inkling whether they are happy, but what I surely know is, they will continue to be greedy.

Now the million dollar question: Do you want to be a multi- millionaire with plenty of money but without the happiness or just an ordinary contended person with plenty of happiness?
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Can we,will we or must we?

Hello everyone, a very belated Happy New Year.

Just came back from a short holiday, trying to free myself from stressful work and the ever frustrating political news in the country.
At the end of the day, I have to face reality: it is back to square one.

Did I say a happy new year?

To many of us, we have taken this blessed word 'happy' for granted.
To many civilians in the war torn countries, like Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine, the word has already ceased to exist in their vocabulary for a long time. Or maybe gone forever.

It has been my usual habit to post some of my holiday pictures to share with everyone but when I saw the above picture which almost makes me cry, I felt that it was morally wrong for me to do so when so many innocent civilians are being killed daily by the morons of war.

Let us take this war as a case study in Malaysia.

If Malaysia is being attacked by another country, what will we, as citizens of Malaysia do?

1) For the Palestinians, who have been suppressed and bullied by the Israelis and whose land has been occupied for years, they have every reasons and the will to fight for their freedom and die for their country.
As for the many Malaysians, who have been discriminated against, do they have the will to fight the enemy? Are they willing to sacrifice their lives for the country?

2)Taking for granted that the discriminated Malaysians have no will to fight for the country, what should they do then?
Will they cooperate with the enemy to bring a quick downfall of the government so that a new government with true democratic principles, fairness and justice can be formed and thus liberating them of their suppression and frustrations?

3)No matter what and how we have been treated by the government, we owe our well beings to this country. Therefore, as true Malaysians, can we all be united and fight the enemy to defend this land which we call home, so that it can never be taken by a foreign country?
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