John Howard is out !

From the BBC.

It was quite a surprise for me to see John Howard lose the elections in Australia. I thought that with the good economic position Australia is in now, it would be quite hard to overthrow him. Hats off to the new Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. Hope he would do a good job and open Australia up, so my brother could get a good place in a big Australian hospital!

From the BBC

Maybe the Australian people have got tired of John Howard blindly following what Bush tells him to do. But then again, there might be domestic issues we do not know that have dented John Howard. Deep in my heart I hope Malaysian people have that kind of power as well.

Let’s see what this new Prime Minister would do differently.

What is it with profanity?

When you scold somebody with rather dirty words, do you actually feel cool about it? I always wonder about what it actually feels to scold people with those interesting words, since I would only use it if someone else uses it on me.  Maybe because I feel rather insulted and shamed should those words be actually applied on me.

I personally think that profanity is a rather serious mark in a conversation. Not as an insult, but as an emphasis in a conversation, or an indicator. The person must be quite angry to utter those words. But if that person just coolly uses those words on you without any remorse, you actually might be the one that would be quite angry. There was this professor of mine that was very strictly against profanity, and I think he was right to do what he could to curb this culture of using profanity so rashly. I respect you by addressing you kindly and thinking for you, should you then F me so easily like I am nobody? And then should I keep quiet and eat it all up?

Maybe some would say I should have more tolerance for these quite ‘normal’ things, and I should not feel insulted when they insult me with these words. I should not be angry when they have no regard whatsoever for you as a person. And I should be using profanity as well to degrade people, so that I would look cool

I really apologize for using profanity. I regret that truly. And I would try my best not use it in the future.

Filled with chores and errants.

It is amazing how fast time flies when you are stuffed with so much to do. My room needs to be cleared off everything, yes almost everything. And there is not enough time to download my shows. So many people are asking me out now that is hard to keep track of everyone. And I still have to visit all my relatives as a jesture of respect. And so many other things I can’t recall now.

At least the VISA interview has been set, and much of the preparation has been done. I will meet the scared Americans at the US embassy on the 28th of November, and I pray it will go well.

The bed beckons now.

Open warrant for humpback whales

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7099720.stm

It is extremely sad to see people do things that are so obviously selfish just for their own gains. Although this is a world that worships individuallity so much, how could we survive on this world if we really practice it to the dot?

Now Japan has openly resumed its whaling activities, in the name of tradition and ’scientific research’. Do you need a few hundred to a thousand whales year after year just to check its internal organs? Certainly this is foolhardy. And if all of us were to practice our traditions so strictly, then what will be left of this world? Would the trees still be around? Would we have clean air to breath? Would we have clean water to use? If we had sticked to our tradition, then we would not have the UN, and all of us would most probably be in war, and us citizens would certainly be in some form of forced labour.

If I were to defend my right so rigidly, certainly I would have no friends. How then could I survive without support? No a chance! I would be left to die. Just the same for everyone. It is because of the numerous consideration and tolerence we give to others that all of us survived to this day. And in this comfort someone would actually think of underminding other and do as they like. Clearly this is an act of gross ungratefulness.

The neighbouring Chinese have put up with Japan for a long time. The Japanese changed their history books claiming that their invation of China and the killing of Chinese was to let them prosper. Imagine if China were to bar all Japanese companies that are currently investing in China. Their companies would have to close down, and on the other hand, China has $ 1 trillon to move around. Every country, even America, was sorry in one way or another that the Second World War had to end that way. But it seems that the Japanese themselves are quite happy with the symphathy they are showered with, thinking they have ‘taken the blow’ so ‘graciously’.

We have all made sacrifices to make our community more bearable. I can assure you of that. No matter how small it might have been, it has made the other person’s life that little bit better. But, please, do not take those sacrifices that others made for you for granted, because they have conciously made way for you. [How would you not know you did someone else a favour?] So be aware what others have done for you, and be concious as well about what you do to others. What has the Japanese selfish acts brought to us? A thousand dead whales, angry people looking at them plundering the one world that we have, greedy businessmen that trade their children’s future world for money, and a damaged Japanese pride that would do so much better with grace and understanding in its place.

Royal Commission of Inquiry

Most would know about the video clip that swept the judiciary in Malaysia. The funny thing is that the Cabinet had to have this matter go through a three-man panel whether it should have a Royal Commission of Inquiry to investigate this corruption matter.

It all started when a video clip showing a lawyer famous in his industry for unscupulous acts (from a friend of mine who IS a lawyer), talking to a senior judge discussing who should fill spaces in the judiciary. And surprisingly the name of the senior judge was also mentioned.

But it is an open secret that the government is a web of connections. Everyone has connections to someone, no matter upwards or downwards. People on top would pull people below up to strengten their position, and people below would pull on these ropes to have a promotion. I highly doubt that the Royal Commission of Inquiry would be fair a just, given so much temptation for their power. And clearly choosing the members of the Commission would be foolhardy. Might as well call it Cabinet’s Commission of Inquiry, since it is the Prime Minister, which in turn is control by strong men in UMNO, chooses the Commissioners.

Since it is called a Royal Commission of Inquiry, the Palace should play its part. I think members of the Palace should have a stronger say, since politics don’t usually involve the Palace or the King. So they would be well positioned to give a fair judgement. However, the check on officers of the government is given to the ACA, who are members of the government as well. The Constitution rules that the Palace no longer have a say in matters of the country other that religious matters. Like Hong Kong the Anti-Corruption Agency is placed seperately from the government itself, shouldn’t our ACA be the same?

Certainly some people would be blamed and put behind bars, but we wouldn’t know if the real culprit is caught. Even if Abdullah Badawi was honest when he said that he wants to curb corruption, the corrupted people in UMNO would vote him out striaght away if they sense even slightest threat to their golden rice bowls. What could righteous men do in an already unrighteous world?