Thursday, November 26th, 2009 2,843 views
Greeting from Lahad Datu!
Sorry for the short absence from this blog. When was the last blog post? November 13th lol! Today is November 26th, so almost 2 weeks without any blog post. What a lazy brooger!!
I’ve been busy (ehem this time it is for real) adjusting my life in Lahad Datu for past one week. Just came here last week and been busy since. Taking over people’s job halfway is not fun at all.
Scratching my head figuring out the reports, calculations and what not, people on top chasing you to produce something when you have yet to warm the seat you’re given, and to top that need to hear complaints and gossips of what happened when I was not here from the subordinates. Managing people is the number one pain in the ass job.
People don’t like to be managed. We’re always some sort of rebels at heart, launching perpetual wars against this world with some self serving causes only our own self can identify with. Probably that explains the messes this world is in, the never ending conflicts among humans, the slow and painful destruction of this pretty world with our disastrous way of life. (Shit did I sound normal?)
Lahad Datu is truly a cowboy town. Among the things you’ll notice when you set foot to this little town are:
1. 4WD vehicles zooming here and there. I think maybe out of 10 vehicles on the road, 8 of them are 4WD vehicles.
2. There are many car wash centres. Business is good, thanks to the dirty road and probably the nature of works these vehicle owners are involved with. Most are working at the plantations, construction sites, factories, shipyards and seems like there is mud everywhere. It is as if Lahad Datu is one big construction site. Cleanliness doesn’t seem to be top in the list of concerns here. Wait till I get you some photos at the fish and chicken market next time. Ehe!
‘Rainforest’ of palm oil trees
3. Food is a bit expensive for a relatively quiet and small town. 3 persons, breakfast with milo, tea, coffee and two plates of fried mee = RM15. A plate of fried mee will cost you RM5. ‘Economy’ rice will cost you between RM5-Rm8.
Let’s see if I can compile a ‘10 things about Lahad Datu’ you should know list for my blog eh? I had the chance to make a short trip down Tawau last Sunday to check out awesome town. the chicks. I heard the chicks down there are worth checking out. Amber Chia is from Tawau. I was hoping to see chicks with juicy, plump lips like her (but hopefully not talking Engrish like her)
Met up with a uni friend, went around the town and bought some local snacks. Got this ‘ Keropok Amplang’ – ball shaped crackers made from mackerel and shrimp fillet at Tawau main market.
Hmm, it does look like some funny pills…
Crispeeeeyyhhh! Nom nom nom..
Spent one afternoon in Tawau then came back to Lahad Datu. 1-2 hours drive, depends on how awesome you’re on the road. Driving around this part of the world is quite ’scary’.
Life here is seriously boring. After work, stay at home reading books, listening to the radio and online from my mobile. Facebooking and Tweeting lah, what else? Internet connection at my place sucks.
Er, that’s another reason I don’t blog 
Well, at work surely I cannot blog when I have things to attend to. (tee hee hee..) I can’t even online properly from my mobile using Celcom Broadband, what more to try on the netbook. Boo!! I can only online using DiGi, although slow but at least consistent. And surfing using mobile, it’s considerably fast.
For the past week, I slept before 11pm, woke up around 6am. That’s a sign I am getting old. Ask Suituapui what time he sleeps? *chuckles* I guess that’s it for now. Till the next boring update~!
ps: Am going to celebrate my 27th birthday here in Lahad Datu. -.-|||
Posted in 2 cents, Friends, Malaysia, Observation, People, Personal, Photos, Sabah, Travel, Trip, Work | 12 Comments »
Monday, July 27th, 2009 996 views
What is the fuss over the ‘cawat’ remark by Hadi Awang?
Much have been said about the ‘cawat’ (loincloth) remark. It’s getting really annoying reading the recycled, repeated craps in the paper nowadays. Our papers especially love to quote some stupid politicians moronic comments, I wonder if that helps them selling the papers. It’s downright insulting to read the spins by these idiots and with the rubbish journalism we have in Malaysia, it’s hard to find alternative or opposing views in our mainstream medias anymore. Everyone is parroting the same shits, treating us like dumbs.
First thing, nowadays you can’t see any Dayak wearing cawat (loincloth) anymore except perhaps on ceremonial or festive occasions. Not forgetting when posing for Tourism Malaysia posters, which is somehow fine and not insulting for the Dayaks to be portrayed that way, I wonder.
Long long time ago, our ancestors were wandering around naked, wearing nothing. Then somehow they found it embarassing not to cover their jewels so they scavenged anything they could think of to cover those parts. It evolved from wearing leaves, then to loincloth and now we can have brief or boxer and jeans, shorts, khakis over to double cover, triple cover our precious-yet-embarassing-to-be-let-free-for-view parts.
Yes, Dayak tribes did wear cawats back then (probably my earliest ancestors back then did as well) and that was so fashionable at that time, so there’s nothing to be ashamed of the fact, even today. No thanks to idiots from Barisan Nasional, the so called Dayak-fighters like Alfred Jabu ak Numpang and James Jemut Masing who jumped on this issue and fanned it to stir emotional angst among the Dayaks.
They interpreted the loincloth remark literally, knowing it would cause discontent among Sarawakians especially the Dayaks. They are hoping all Sarawakians would be so dumb and illiterate to take the meaning literally.
Listen to James Masing -
Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president Dr James Masing said Hadi’s comments suggested that the Batang Ai voters, the majority of whom are Dayaks, were uncivilised.
Now Alfred Jabu -
Irked by Hadi’s comments which was made in the run-up to the Manek Urai by-election which was won by PAS, Jabu said anyone who had offended any community should apologise if he was a sensible person.
“I have covered Lubok Antu very extensively, well before the by-election, during and after it and under normal circumstances, you don’t see anyone wearng ‘cawat’, except during traditional dances when traditional costumes are displayed,” he said, adding it had been demonstrated that Barisan was very strong in Sarawak.
Trust James Jemut Masing and Alfred Jabu ak Numpang to spin the loincloth remark to their own benefits. James Masing is only partially correct in his statement. Yes Hadi’s comments suggest the Batang Ai voters, the majority of whom are Dayaks were uncivilised, but it was a reference to the ‘uncivilised, backward mentality’ of Dayak voters for keep voting the government that neglects them all this years.
In the case of Batang Ai, under the guise of ‘political development’, BN offered instant goodies for the voters and they were easily appeased and contented with such ‘political bribery’. Little that they remember, ALL governments exist for the purpose of assisting ALL their citizens and there is nothing to be thankful or grateful for what’s rightfully belong to them. I wrote something along this line before – Should we be thankful for what’s rightfully ours?
BN even had the audacity to declare East Malaysia states as its ‘fixed deposit’, clearly insulting and at the expense of ignoramus East Malaysian voters when it comes to exercising their votes wisely.
Najib Wants Sabah To Remain BN’s ‘Fixed Deposit’
KOTA KINABALU, May 4 (Bernama) — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak wants Sabah to remain as the ‘fixed deposit’ for the Barisan Nasional (BN).
He said that this was to ensure the BN would continue to be at the helm of the country’s administration.
As if it is something to be proud of, we have an idiot in the name of Abang Johari quickly making a bold statement declared that “Sarawak also BN’s fixed deposit”. WTF? Is this worth fighting for? Something to be jealous of when Najib ‘praised’ Sabah? This is an insult! Not praise and glory, you blinking idiot!
So, why nobody kick a fuss when this guy daringly made a statement insinuating the votes of Sarawakians are taken for granted? Where were you Alfred Jabu? James Masing? Obviously, BN all this while treat Sarawakian voters as idiots. Their votes worth shit and are easily bought with instant goodies? Isn’t this affirming the ‘cawat’ mentality among the voters in Sarawak?
I would like to share some very interesting and valid points made by Sarawak Headhunter in his post Why Are Some Dayaks Getting Their Cawats In A Twist?
What line did Hadi cross? Was he telling a lie? Did he say it to insult anyone? Is the truth insulting? If any Dayaks really felt insulted, perhaps they should mend the error of their ways and stop supporting oppression of their own people by Taib and his regime.
Did Hadi really want to make the people of Lubok Antu and the Dayaks as a whole look uncivilised? Was that his point? Again, why should anyone feel sensitive above Hadi’s remarks unless they were true?
All sadly but typically missing the point, perhaps purposely. Why should the opposition deliberately want to hurt the feelings of the very people whose support they need?
Everyone, including Hadi, knows very well that the Dayaks no longer “run around” in cawats. But that doesn’t mean that the Dayaks have yet managed to outgrow their ‘cawat’ mentality, just like many Malays (read “UMNO Malays”) have still not managed to outgrow their feudal mentality.
Obviously Hadi knows that the people don’t literally wear cawats any more. Anyway, don’t Dayaks wearing cawats still appear in official BN government tourist brouchures and cultural performances?
What Hadi meant, Sarawak Headhunter thinks, is the cawat or backward mentality of the Dayaks, who in spite of being the victims of Taib’s regime, still supported their oppressors and victimizers.
Dayaks are marginalised because of their ignorance of Taib’s regime’s manipulation and oppression of their own people and other Sarawakians, or if they are not ignorant of this, then because of their own stupidity.
Read more of his post here.
Yes, Hadi was right about Sarawakians still wearing ‘cawat‘ on their heads covering their eyes and ears. Let go of this invisible ‘cawat’ and start doing the right thing. Be critical and not submissive. Be skeptical when necessary.
Being critical means you care about our nation and want to improve things and correct what you think is wrong and it doesn’t necessary means anti-establisment. Being sceptical means you are not naive and do not accept everything you read or hear.
That said, if the opposition wants to woo the voters in East Malaysia especially in Sarawak, it needs to do more research to understand the voters mentality, especially why they are still trapped in this ‘cawat’ mentality. Making such remarks without finding solutions to address the issue do no good to all and already many Sarawakians find West Malaysian politicians are ridiculously ignorant about this part of the world. Not mentioning some arrogant and patronising statements.
Remember, for any side to form a federal government in Malaysia, winning some of the minimum 25% of the seats allocated to East Malaysia states is paramount, so buck up and get wise.
ps: “Nadai gi kami ngena cawat deh!” – We are wearing loincloths no more!
pss: Seriously, if the Dayaks feel insulted by this ‘cawat’ remark, they should sue Tourism Ministry for using posters of ‘cawat‘ wearing dude’ to promote Sarawak. Heck, if I am a horny, dumb blonde tourist and I want to make a trip to Sarawak just to meet some good looking ‘cawat’ wearing dudes because of the posters, how? What? I didn’t see any disclaimer saying ”The product images are for illustration purposes only” so it must be real!
Posted in 2 cents, BN-ism, Bee End, Boleh-ism, Bolehland, Current Affairs, Hypocrisy, Idiocy, Idiots, Mainstream Media, Malaysiakini, Me, People, Sarawak, Serious | 14 Comments »
Thursday, February 19th, 2009 1,087 views
As a Sarawakian, I am ashamed to read these kind of news.
Sunday February 15, 2009
Sivarasa barred from Sarawak
KUCHING: PKR vice-president R. Sivarasa was denied entry into Sarawak yesterday, becoming the second politician from the party to be barred from the state.
The Subang MP was stopped by immigration officials at Kuching International Airport at 1.30pm and served with a notice of refusal of entry under Section 66(1) of the Immigration Act.
The reason given was that he was not from Sarawak and therefore not entitled to enter the state without a permit or pass.
Sivarasa, who last came to Sarawak in July last year to attend the World Rainforest Music Festival with his wife, said he was at a loss as to why he was denied entry.
And of course, we still remember just end of last year a similar treatment given to an opposition member:
Wednesday December 24, 2008
MP denied entry into Sarawak
A PKR parliamentarian has been denied entry into Sarawak by immigration officers at the Kuching International airport.
According to N Gobalakrishnan, who is MP for Padang Serai, the incident happened at around 5.30pm and he believed that it was politically motivated.
“The moment I reached the airport, immigration officers told me that I am not allowed to enter due to instructions from the state government,” he told Malaysiakini.
“The immigration officer gave me a notice which reads ‘Tuan bukan rakyat Sarawak, tidak berhak untuk masuk ke Sarawak tanpa permit atau pas Akta Imigresen 1959-1963′ (You are not a citizen of Sarawak and are not eligible to enter Sarawak without a permit or immigration pass).
Having visited Sarawak many times, Gobalakrishnan said he did not face any problems with the state immigration until this week.
Gobalakrishnan said his most recent visit to the state was last week when he was in Lubok Antu, south of Kuching, to help the locals in their Christmas preparation.
If it is not politically motivated, what is the possible reason for refusing their entry? Anyone who puts on a thinking cap would know that behind all the ‘excuses’ given for the decision, it is dirty politics rearing its ugly head.
(more…)
Posted in Articles, BN-ism, Boleh-ism, Bolehland, Constitution, Current Affairs, Democracy, Malaysia, Malaysiakini, PKR, Politics, Serious, Thoughts | 2 Comments »
