Bangkitlah Malaysia!

Crunch this.

There are 15 million eligible voters in Malaysia.

There are only 11 million registered voters in Malaysia. (73%)

Last General Election (March 8, 2008), only 8 million voters exercised their votes. (73% of registered voters)

7 million voters, missing in action. (47% of eligible voters)

What the heck? The fate of this nation, the choice of who we want to run this country was decided by just a little more than 50% of  all who have the duty to do so ? That is not even substantial or convincing majority!

Please, don’t be part of the 7 million apathetic, lazy, irresponsible citizen. Wait, if you don’t vote, please don’t consider yourself as a citizen of the country. You have no right to bitch or to complain when idiots like #yorais made it to the office, because of your (in)action.

To register as a voter, get your ass to the nearest Post Office, just bring your Identity Card. There is an initiative going on to register voters called EPIC for UNITY. So lend your support to do something EPIC!

The Flaccid Mind is proud to pimp this cool project by Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia (SABM) - BANGKIT!

Dear fellow Malaysians,

Are you happy with the state of our country today? Is our country and her people truly living up to their potential? What do you think of Malaysian society today? Should “race” be a major factor in how Malaysian citizens relate to each other? What unites Malaysians? What divides Malaysians? Do you think Malaysia needs to change? Why or why not? What are your dreams/aspirations for yourself? Your country?

Do you love Malaysia?

These are questions that are rarely asked of our country’s youths. But we believe that all of them have a burning answer deep within their hearts. They may not feel at liberty to share it. Or they may feel like even if they did, who would listen? So many of these hushed voices go unheard. It’s the greatest loss to our nation…

Well, not anymore.

We believe that the youth of our nation have outstanding opinions about the issues facing Malaysia today. And we want our nation’s youths to know that they are NOT forgotten, forsaken or frivolous. Because it is their passion that will revive the hope in our nation - to once again rise up and be a shining example to the world for our peace and prosperity. And this will happen when the youth of our country choose to stand up and speak out.

That’s where BANGKIT comes in.

BANGKIT is a nationwide search for songs written by youths, for youths and representing the aspirations of the youths in our country. We believe that they deserve…no, they NEED to be heard. And we’re going to provide the platform for them in the language that speaks to youths - music!

And to prove the point that Malaysians DO care about their country, we will be taking a huge step of faith - because we want to put this entire project together with NO MONEY AT ALL!

No money for salaries or allowances

No money spent on promotions/marketing.

No money spent on design.

No money spent on recording.

No money to hire talents.

No money spent on websites.

No money prizes

No money for prizes.

Tak ada, mei you, eelek, zip nada!

Impossible? Maybe…unless you and I decide to believe that it is NOT IMPOSSIBLE. We can both step out in faith that this project WILL succeed because there will be more than enough people stepping up to contribute their time, talents, facilities and resources FOR FREE, with no other motivation than their passion, creativity and love for country!

Have we got your attention yet?

If you feel inspired to join us, here are the details of BANGKIT:

MECHANISM

- A BANGKIT blog will be set up for this event

- Teasers will be spread throughout the internet (March 15 – 31)

- Selections begin, demo cuts of compositions to be submitted in mp3 format (April 1 – May 15)

- Songs will be featured on the BANGKIT blog for youths to vote on their favourites (April 1 – May 31)

- Professional judges will select 10 songs from the 20 most popular voted songs and results announced (June 7)

- A professionally recorded BANGKIT CD of the 10 selected songs will be released within 3 months of final selection (Target to be launched in September)

- A BANGKIT concert featuring local artistes will be held to showcase the selected songs (to be held either in November or December, in conjunction with SABM’s voter registration carnival)

- No prizes will be offered. Just recognition of participants’ talents and the chance for their song to be recorded.

PUBLICITY

- Primarily through the internet (facebook, youtube, twitter, blogs, websites, etc)

- Flyers and posters to be distributed to universities / colleges nationwide

- Exposure through the Mass Media

- Email, SMS & MMS

WHAT YOU CAN DO

- Attach the ‘BANGKIT’ posters/banners/videos to your blog or website and make sure to link it to our blog. We will be releasing a series so that it keeps fresh and exciting

- Tell everyone you know about BANGKIT through word-of-mouth, blogs, facebook, twitter, email, SMS, MMS, etc. We need everyone in Malaysia to know.

- Keep updated at our BANGKIT blog or the SABM website.

- Put us in touch with people who are willing to contribute to BANGKIT’s cause for free.

Please support BANGKIT in our effort to bring the voices of our youth to the nation and the world!

P.S. As BANGKIT is still the pre-launch stage, please don’t reveal too much about us yet. If you feel a need to explain a bit more about BANGKIT, just say something like “something big is brewing in Malaysian cyberspace and everyone under-30 should watch out for the announcement on April 1st”. We will be releasing more promos and information that you can post as the official launch date (April 1) approaches.

If you need more information, please email: jombangkit@gmail.com.

For more info please check out our blog at http://jombangkit.org/

And please do feel free to pass this message to as many people as you know.

Let’s rock Malaysian together!

Regards,

Lai Chee Seng

Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia - Youth Outreach Project Team Coordinator

ps: I wrote the post “Bangkitlah Rakyat Malaysia” back in April 2009, just a month after the March 8th General Election. Eerie, how things turned out to be. I’m feeling like a seer now. But in Malaysia, it is only too easy to be one. Everything is so predictable.

Pimped by The Star!

Other posts can wait, this one cannot.

Blurred screenshot of my Twitter account

First time getting pimped by The Star, together with other Sarawakian bloggers like Kenny Sia, Dine with Annna – Anna Bella Wong ,  Mum-mum: Eat Eat – Rowena Tan, Sixthseal – Huai Bin and Lolly Raja, founder of Kelabit Wiki Project.

Although no mention of my blog name and address in the paper version, (The Star later includes it in the online version), I was quoted in few paragraphs (very politically correct one).  Let me quote one for you guys:

“I am a proud Sarawakian. Sarawak has so much to share with the people out there and I feel obliged to share all the good and bad things about this place so people can learn, gain or make something out of it.“

And they put up my handsome face HAHA! (Thank you Ras, gambar diambik ko juak dipake aku hahah!) Let’s hope #yorais doesn’t read today’s paper. Oh ya, I bought my The Star paper today, after not doing so for so long. Ehem, you know why I don’t buy The Star all this while hehehe

So, grab a copy of The Star today, because I am in it! Star Two pullout, pg 2 and pg. 3. Just don’t read too much on the news inside the Nation pullout eg. Umno’s doors ‘never shut’

‘Makan duit rakyat’ is bad for your stomach…

I am not feeling well today. Went to the toilet a bit too many times yesterday and this morning. Down with fever last night. I slept the whole night, from 7.30pm till this morning.

Heat stroke? All the traveling and standing under the sun for the past two weeks. Food poisoning? Too much beer? Wait, I think I know  the source of my food poisoning. I came back from Bintulu last Thursday and RasMhd fetched me from airport using Sarah. I left Sarah with him and Luky before I went to Bintulu. “Oi, sapa makan aiskrim lam keta aku, dah ya tumpah kat tepi seat!!! Passenger seat. Cheebuy takorang yeeer..”

Went to Bintulu to see this o.O

We decided to eat at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCKK) where Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) convention is held for the past one week. RasMhd needed to go back there to for some photo-shoot sessions. He’s one of the many photographers for the PBB convention. Of course, he is the best among all! “heh heh, promote boh sik!”

A peek inside a photog’s bag

Took this photo when I fetched RasMhd and Luky at their hotel the other day. Luky was distributing tags, bags, hotel keys.“Ney bag aku oii!”

Gotta love the theme for this year – Transformasi Rakyat untuk Mencapai Ekonomi Berpendapatan Tinggi (Transforming People Towards High-Income Economy), hope they understand what it really means, especially the ‘high-income economy part’. Since PM came out with this ‘high-income’ economy thing, everybody is talking about it. Just like the 1Malaysia hype. Islam Hadhari. Malaysia Boleh. Malaysians are suckers for slogans. One of our favourite past times is sloganeering, I guess.

The state relies heavily on palm oil plantations, logging and petroleum as its main sources of income. Apart from petroleum and its related industries, the other sectors are not exactly high-income sectors because those sectors depend a lot on cheap foreign labours with non existence of minimum wages. This article written by Dr. Fong Chan Onn is a good read, for us to understand the limitations and things we need to change before we embark on this mission to be a nation of ‘high-income’ economy – Caught in middle-income trap.

Back to the story, we had dinner at BCCK since meals were prepared for the PBB delegates and people related to the function. Er, I am also related, since I was the driver for my friends who were working for the event. Ha! Ha!

Awesome dishes. Especially love the Daging Masak Kicap. (Beef in Soy Sauce) It reminds me of the days I was a hostel student back in Kolej TDTH Bujang. One of the few dishes at the dining hall I looked forward to eat at that time. LOL!

Just both of us were sitting at the table, eating food prepared for 10 persons. I went home fully stuffed. The next morning (yesterday), I visited the toilets thrice. Few more visits to the loo during along the day. Also a bit stressed out because of the amount of emails I needed to reply, reports to write and meetings to attend.  After work, went to see Sai Wan of The Star for a little chat. He is here for the launch of The Star, Sarawak Edition. I have been tweet-chatting with him on Twitter for a while now. It is great to meet new people and I always look forward to do so to get to know the real persons apart from their online personas, or reputations.

I went back home, dozed off till this morning and visited the toilet few more times again. I need to see a doctor if I still religiously visit the toilet. Hmm… pretty sure this is due to the ‘free food’ I ate last Thursday night at BCCK. I have learned something from this and I wish to share it with my readers. 

1. ‘Makan duit rakyat’ (eating people’s money) is never good. Kthxbai.

2. Toilet affair is more fun now, with the invention of Twitter.

ps: High-income economy. No minimum wages. Message delivered by old farts, for old farts. Party full of old farts. Bunch of old farts run the country. How?

The Book of Eli – A review with.. many spoilers. HA! HA! HA!

I went to watch The Book of Eli last night. My first time on a movie outing, alone! I used to scoff at the idea of watching movie alone. Or shopping alone. Or eating alone. Not anymore, I guess. To think of it, I kinda get used of being a lone ranger since I started working in Miri. I would go out clubbing or chilling out with myself (ha! ha! ha!) when my friends – the usual suspects and partners in crime – had other plans out of town. It can be fun, I made some new friends that way. And of course being alone, you have no obligations, no limits.

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I love the MBO Cineplex at The Spring!

Got my ticket!

Love this movie poster. Took this photo outside the cineplex.

The Book of Eli is a post apocalyptic film, seems to be one of the many popular genres for many movie producers and moviegoers nowadays. People just love these end of the world, survival of last humanity on earth, futuristic civilization kind of movies lately. We have 2012, District 9, I Am Legend, Cloverfield, Legion (crappy movie this one!), The Day After Tomorrow, Knowing, War of the Worlds, 28 Days Later, The Matrix Trilogy and many more. I just listed those I have watched off the top of my head ehe!

Let’s continue with the movie. Do not read further if you have not watch the movie and do not want to know the storyline. Not everyone loves spoilers. It is kinda funny, because a movie review or any other review is written for the benefits of those who have not experience the ‘thing’ by those who already did, so that they can make a decision whether they want to experience it or not, no?

1. Hero walks alone. Hero shoots a fur-less cat and eats it.

2. Hero talks to a rat, listening to songs (to hypnotise himself to sleep? I do it all the time). Hero reads a bible-looking book.

3. Hero is stopped by a group of baddies. Hero chops and slices baddies ala-Blade style. *chop chop chop* He continues walking, doesn’t even stop to help when he sees a gang of bikers killing innocent lives.

4. People in this period of time do barter trade eh? Hero goes and does some business. Villain is reading a book… on Mussolini? Wow! Gang of bikers meet with Villain and give him their loot. Villain wants books. I saw Da Vinci Code! Bikers have the wrong books. Villain is not happy. Why he’s sending illiterate people to find books? Hmm, why stupid people are leading this country, elected to office?

5. Villain is helping his concubine washing her hair. Impresses her about getting the last shampoo on earth.Yes, people in this movie don’t get to take shower.

6. Wow, so many cool people with shades in the bar. This is not a Rayban’s advert?C at fight. No, fight over a cat at the bar. Cat has more rights, since it’s here first. Sounds like a script written by Ibrahim Ali, woot! Hero takes out his awesome knife again. *chop chop chop* Good knife.

7. Hero is in a  conversation with the the villain. Villain says something stupid. “Old farts like us, are the future”. Some Malaysian politicians would agree with this. Villain wants to make a deal. His machai is making it clear to Hero it is not a negotiable offer, “This is not a choice for you to make”. Hero coolly replies “There is always a choice. This is my choice, Kopi Tongkat Ali Ibrahim. My choice!“

8. Hero stays at Villain’s place for the night. Hero reads his book.  Pretty chick walks into the room. Hero tries out a pick up line. “Like your perfume”. “Err.. not perfume, it’s my shampoo,” Pretty eyes and lips. Non anorexic version of Angelina Jolie. Slurrps. Pretty chick tries to seduce Hero. Hero rejects and invites her for meal. Hero takes her hands and prays to God before eating.

9. How to play chess, if you’re blind? Watch this movie to know. Breakfast time! Villain asks pretty chick about Hero. Pretty chicks tells him everything, and describes the book she saw. Villain now thinks Hero has the book he is looking for all this while. Hero is leaving Villain’s place. Shoot out! “You can’t hit me!!” Eh, this is a scene from Counter Strike game. *tratttt tattt tattt trattt*  Hero continues his journey. Pretty chick follows secretly but Hero hears her. Pretty chick wants to make a deal. Hero and her go to fetch water. Hero traps her inside the ‘cave’.  Hero continues his journey to the West.

10. Pretty chick walksalone. Hero walks alone. Baddies pursue in vehicles. Pretty chick is set upon by two baddies. They want to rape her! Baddie 1 stands up to unzip his trouser. *Zaapp!* A arrow piercing through his genital area. Ouch ouch! Another arrow, piercing through Baddie 2 neck. Both are dead.

11. Hero walks again with pretty chick following behind. “Hey, I’m been walking for 30 years. Follow your heart.”  Hero is saying something Zen-ish. It is night time. Hero and pretty chick stop for a rest. Villain and gang also stop for a rest. Hero reads his book. Pretty chick wants to know about the book. Hero tells her some stories. Shares a verse from the book. Hero sleeps No, he is just pretending to be, because when pretty chick tries to peek at his book, he wakes up and scolds her. Pretty chick did see his name though. Eli. That is  his name.

12. Hero and pretty chick reach a strange looking house and when tries to investigate, fall into a trap door. An old couple appears. Creepy couple. Husband built all the traps, because he’s was a handyman. Wife loves music and makes good sandwiches. Yum yum om nom nom. Wait. They show the burial site to Hero and pretty chick. Damn, those are human meat sandwiches. No more yum yum om nom nom. Hero and pretty chick want to leave the house.

13. Jeng jeng jeng. Villain and gang are waiting outside. Another scene from Counter Strike. Shoot out! *tratttt tattt tattt trattt* *bommm boommm powww* Bombs. Bazooka. Old granny is hit! She dies. Old grandpa goes crazy and running amok. Crooks deploy machine gun. *tratttt tattt tattt trattt* Old grandpa is hit! He dies too.

14. Hero and pretty chick face off with Villain and his bunch of crooks. Villain tells Hero to give him the book. “Not with me”, Hero lied. But he tells the book’s whereabout when Villain threatens to harm the pretty chick. Pusseh lah this hero. Villain gets the book and he shoots him in the stomach and leaves. Okay, Hero is just a normal human. Is he dead?

15.Pretty chick escapes and drives back to help Hero. Villain doesn’t want to follow, he’s low on fuel. Eh, Hero is walking still! He’s alive! Looks weak though. Pretty chick picks him up and they continue west, reach a bridge and row to this prison. Alcatraz? LOL! A group of survivors working to preserve pre-apocalypse knowledge.

You can stop reading now if you don’t want to know what book Eli is having and the rest of the ‘details’ about the movie. But I think it is obvious what kind of book he’s having in his possession, no?

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16. Hero tells the guard he has a copy of King James version of the Bible and allowed in.

17. Villain tries to open the book – now you know it’s the King James version of the Bible. It is is Braille and he cannot read it. He asks his wife to read for him which she refuses.She makes a comment about his leg, which was shot by Hero, apparently in a very bad condition now.  He will die before he gets the chance to read the Bible.

18. Hero is blind? Oh, that is why he’s wearing shades? Wait, so many people in this movie are wearing shades. Damn, this is a good WTF moment. But it makes sense. Along the movie, it shows that the Hero always use his other senses, making references to other senses more often than the sense of sight.

19. Hero dictates the Bible from memory. Alcatraz reprints the Bible. He dies. Pretty chick pays him respect at his cemetery. The King James Bible is put next to The Torah and The Quran. Pretty chicks dressed up like Hero, taking his awesome knife with her and poses for the camera. End of story.

I think the film is trying to send a message that religion (in this movie, is represented by the Bible) can be used for good or perverted for evil. (Duh?) The Villain is trying to get the Bible to strengthen his rule over people by the mean of controlling them and their loyalties through…. well, religion. The Hero is trying to get the Bible to the West where it will be used as a foundation of a new society? Not sure about that, because I saw other holy books alongside the Bible hehehe..

Probably there were more ‘Elis’ out there with the same quest before him, to deliver the holy books to Alcatraz too? In the movie, for some strange reason, the Bible Eli had in his possession is the last existing copy – apparently all copies of it were destroyed- so how about another religious books??

Quite an okay movie. Can’t be too anal when watching movies. Sure some contradictions and WTF ending (he died? But he was like, impossible to kill, almost god-like for the most parts of the movie before he was shot..)  in the movie will trouble you for example, a religious man on a religious quest..  killing mercilessly? *chop chop chop* Watch it for the actions, Denzel Washington, the pretty chick and forget the rest!.