Malaysian population

The Star just released the latest stats here.

A decade of Harry

For us the journey began in 2002 when Iman started reading Harry Potter. She was nine. Inas started the next year when she was eight. This was the magic of J K Rowling. She turned a whole generation of kids into avid readers.

We were part of the crowd who waited outside bookstores and cinemas. And some years, when times were lean, I was sad I could not be among the earliest to buy the next Harry Potter book. Now, of course we have the full set for the younger ones to enjoy.

It was always a family thing - at Death Hallows Part 2, all seven of us trotted to the movies at 12 midnight. Now Ikesha is an avid fan...she is turning five this September! And Iman is already 18!

Harry is one of the connecting factors for us and we will always dream of visiting The Wizarding World!

The catfish

Ikan keli tak dapat ke ulu

Empangan jadi penunggu

Ibu keli hanya merindu

Tiadalah lagi anak keli

Hilanglah semua anak keli
Nak ke mana lagi ibu

Nak kemana lagi ibu keli
Hanya boleh turun ke laut

Ikan keli turun ke laut

Pantang dicabar penyu

Pantang dicabar penyu jantan

Biar putih tulang, jangan putih mata

Where will the catfish go

The catfish can no longer
go home to spawn upriver

The dams and men block
The way with engineering rock

She has no choice really
but to go onwards to sea

The unknown might attack
She may never come back

Yet she will evolve, unlike her father

and become stronger than ever...

Irani recites Ikrar Rukun Negara

The five sisters all have different strengths and preferences. Talents. Irani is the one who has to study extra hard, and struggles at Math. But she studies everyday, and sometimes cries when she feels that it is too difficult.

However, she excels in arts, music and kajian tempatan. She loves to sing and can sing Malay, Kadazan and French songs. Oh yes, English too. And dances Indian dance, Malay dance and any other she can follow easily. Datin Rani, who dances like a dream at 70, told me, you must send Irani for formal dancing classes.

Her Uztad in school decided Irani should recite the Ikrar and she did so today at assembly in her PBSM uniform. I am so happy for her.

And am reminded of the words we all read a long long time ago.

Ikrar Rukun Negara
Maka kami rakyat Malaysia berikrar akan menumpukan seluruh tenaga dan usaha kami untuk mencapai cita-cita negara berdasarkan atas perinsip-prinsip yang berikut:
- Kepercayaan kepada Tuhan
- Kesetiaan kepada Raja dan Negara
- Keluhuran Perlembagaan
- Kedaulatan Undang-undang
- Kesopanan dan Kesusilaan

How timely.


 

Right thinking rakyat?

Slamming the mass arrests, Ambiga said their original goals of rallying for electoral reform has grown into something bigger as it has stirred emotions amongst “right thinking rakyat”.

That smacks of Ambiga being utterly patronising. What next? If you are not with us, you are against us?

I am certainly not her rakyat, I am rakyat Malaysia. With the soul of Malaya deep inside. I will accept being a subject of the king, but I draw the line there.

Anak Anak kecil main api...

Vincent

The sun ablazing
Unreal, but the heat
Arising from the earth

Burns

The bluest night
Of the cafe
Lingers til dawn

Inviting

Rolling stars
Upon the midnight
Blanket, the skies

Alive

The cypress trees
And crescent moon
Sick and tortured

Menacing

Irises dancing
In the wind
Lightness of being

Joy

Wound wrapped up
Pain, borne of rejection
Consumed by his art

The artist, forlorn


Le soleil brille,
Et la chaleur
montant de la terre

Brûlures

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Written for the Magpie Tales

Malaysian football tonight

Mohamad Aidil Abd Radzak , Safiq Rahim and Sharbinee Allawee - new heroes of Malaysia.

When I was nine or ten years old, I was chosen to present a bouquet of flowers to the Sultanah at the beginning of a football game held at stadium Darul Makmur, Pahang. That was one of my earliest memories on watching a football game at the stadium.. Since then, I was an ardent fan of my state's football team especially in the 70s and 80s. On the national side, Mohktar Dahari, Jamal Nasir, Santokh Singh, Soh Chin Aun were our heroes then.

Father and I shared bonding moments during the World Cup. In fact, my greatest memories of office camaraderie was during the World Cup seasons as well. And I turned to football and volleyball to encourage staff productivity, interaction and bonding in the nineties.

I remember the days of Kevin Keegan, Gary Lineker. And when Rooney burst onto the scene at the Euro Cup 2006, I took notice. And I harbored a puppy love fascination for Christiano Ronaldo. Respect for Lionel Messi.

But sadly, for a long long time, I took no notice of the Malaysian team any longer. It was depressing to a certain extent with embarassing defeats being the order of the day. But then K Rajagobal, who made Kelantan feverish on football, came on to the scene. In July 2009, Datuk K. Rajagobal was named the new coach of Malaysia replacing B. Sathianathan as head coach of Malaysia. While he was coach of the Under-23 team, K. Rajagobal led Malaysia to their fifth SEA Games gold medal and also led Malaysia to qualify for the second round of the 2010 Asian Games. Good times were set to roll.

Malaysia became the champions of the 2010 AFF Suzuki Cup for the first time under Datuk K. Rajagobal.

Tonight we saw world class saves and goals from Malaysia. Sure, we lost to Taiwan. But three penalties to Taiwan - one dubious, I would say? And one brilliant penalty save by Sharbinee makes Malaysia the winners tonight.

And we march on...see you, Singapore at the end of the month.