Ipoh, Perak Darul Ridzuan, Malaysia

At the heart of Kinta Valley. The capital city of the state of Perak. An opposition stronghold. Factory of brilliant people. Desolated through emigration of its inhabitants to other parts of the country and overseas. Yet... it is forever remembered by its people.

Friday, May 30, 2003

teong relaxlah.. my friend's always irritating ppl. dat's wat he's good at.
fooji: clinical life in UKM is fun but tiring. get up early and sleep late. sometimes have to miss lunch also. but it's worth it lah. get to c interesting cases here. i'm doing my medic posting now, the toughest posting in 3rd yr. so wish me luck. wei fooji, let's go yam cha one of these days lah. call me. ruben knows where i stay . he's been there a couple of times. u can follow him. send my regard to pang, haven't seen dat guy for some time.
so how bout u , still single or wat? ennie is the buaya queen of ukm. hehehehehe
c ya later. Gtg. will blog later

Thursday, May 29, 2003

Relax...I am just kidding lah...as I had said, no harm meant! Seriously, I am just joking around!

Fooji : Enjoy your project at Negri! BTW, my final year thesis titles are all listed in the faculty's website already. You know what kind of things I am going to do? Really susah gila man! "quantum brain model using density matrix and to examine the effect of decoherence" , "simulation of quantum gates" , "image registration and fusion of computer tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images"... what the heck!!!

Whatever...I will be back in PJ/KL pretty soon. Gonna get more ideas and information from lecturers.

Cool it Teong,.... wah, why so marah ?
I am sure sweekheng is trying his best to be polite and humble in our blog,..hahah....or are you just joking also?

Well, I'm off to Bahau for elective project this afternoon, returning on Sunday ( I wish the arrangements won't be disturbed, suddenly tak jadi, aku susah la) UM people, I wish to see you all again, when you all are back. Sometimes, it is easier to meet in KL than Ipoh,
funny la.. Everyone become homely in Ipoh....except for Teong la, yum cha sampai esok pagi. I hope to share your concerns, TEong.

Anyway, Ben,..let's continue to blog alright? How's life in UKM, man? Clinical syiok ar?

Maybe Kok Ming's entrance is one-hit wonder,...maybe it'll take another month for him to post an entry here again.....

"...so as not to offend all the NICE people from Anglo-Chinese School, Ipoh..." - Subtle and ingenious statement there! I see no purpose but jealousy, malcontentment, and hopelessness in the author, or rather the so self-called and acclaimed guest writer. Highlighting and capitalizing the 4-letter word, NICE, is just as childish and frivolous as could be.

The author also seems to be imperceptive and unreasoning to make a remark of HATE towards taugehs. Just because of his bad breath I strongly believe. Not because of the bad taste of the taugehs.

Illogically, the author making mention of his hometown as the centre of the universe. Albeit, he did say that his hometown is just a little kampung. Perhaps, he hasn't become conscious at time of his writing.

BTW, what's the big deal giving out a script? An achievement? If you feel so, congratulation for having such a short-sightedness.

Hey, no harm meant...just blog anyway! :)

Wednesday, May 28, 2003

*******no dramatic entrances for me... i'm not from ipoh, so i'll be real humble and polite and nice, so as not to offend all the NICE people from Anglo-Chinese School, Ipoh******



hi all! i'm your guest writer for today! i'm sweekheng, and i'm ben's most irritating friend... i talk a whole lot more than i think, and i certainly think that liverpool is the worst football club in the whole world. i supported them for some time, but they kept abusing my trust and faith and all... so i got pissed and decided i liked mario melchiot's hair after all... so CHELSEA CHELSEA!


oh yea, i've got a blog myself (god only knows why i'm writing in this one, especially since i'm not from ipoh, and i HATE taugehs (don't they just leave a bad taste in your mouth?).. so surf on up and check it out at http://the-aspirin-dispenser.blog-city.com.


by the way, i'm from taiping, the centre of the universe, you know, that little kampung place half an hour up north from where you stay? we hate taugehs there as well. cheerios!

p/s yours truly was the one who gave ben that script...!!!

Kok Ming : Wilkommen! In German language, it means welcome!

Ben : Wilkommen too! Welcome to the world of computer; Internet Computing discipline. It’s not hard to learn HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) as it is just a tag language, not exactly a real programming language. To learn more fundamentals of world wide web and HTML, click here. Should be useful and informative for a beginner. Fascinated with Matrix? Perhaps you should try out some software engineering! ;)

Fooji : Relax my friend! You will be earning your thousands too..depending on whether you want or don't want; if you want, you can just easily make your millions also. BTW, I didn't submit our blog to Malaysia Central and the link doesn’t seem to be working. Dynamic website again! ;)

I came back to Ipoh on Saturday night. It has been a few days now, literally, I am still doing nothing. I have not even started typing my industrial training report! Haven’t planned on my thesis title and begun collecting info and references. I am just too lazy and lethargic to move and exercise my fingers, hands and legs :)
I went out yum cha with a few old buddies, who are all now apart in different universities and colleges. Indeed, we talked and joked a lot. Mentioning and criticizing, through out the nights, a few guys who, we feel, are obnoxious and sickening. It is appropriate that I decided not to put up their names here though I just feel like doing so! Besides this, I do have some very important and consequential extremely personal problems to settle. Shall talk and elaborate on this later if I were to tell :)

Tuesday, May 27, 2003

Hello people, Ben and Kok Ming,
good to see you two blogging. Ben , thanks for the script. It's useful for fans like me.

and,..how do I add the graphics?
you need to know some HTML coding.
I try to teach: - in the writing area, if you want to attach any nice pictures from the internet, you can write out this code img src="http://........." ( bracket the code with < > ) , so the picture must have a URL, pictures from your hardisk and disk cannot. So, on any nice pictures on the net, you can get the URL by right clicking on the picture, and select' Properties' , the URL will be displayed. So, you copy and paste that URL in to the http://........
as for the more complicated stuff, you have to learn more.... i spend weeks learning,....

Ennie, you're right. A lot of bright students have had their dreams and ambitions shattered due to this stupid and impartial meritrocracy system. Many are opting to study overseas. And i don't blame them if they do not want to come back and work here. They feel as if they were betrayed by their country. We just can't keep quite and pretend that this injustice is not happening. But what can we do when the people who are supposedly representing us in the parliment or the government are just keeping their big fat mouth shut in order to protect their position? Who would have thought that asking for this system to be implemented would just turn and stab us in the back? The only thing we can do now is hope that the situation will change in the future.

This is the conversation between the Architect and Neo in the movie The Matrix Reloaded. For those who have not watched this movie, don't miss it:


Architect: Hello Neo

Neo: Who are you?

Architect: I am the Architect. I created the Matrix. I have been waiting for you. You have many questions and although the process has altered your consciousness you remain irrevocably human, ergo some of my answers you will understand and some of them you will not. Concordantly, while your first question maybe the most pertinent you may or may not realize it is also the most irrelevant.



Neo: Why am I here?

Architect: Your life is the sum of a remainder of an unbalanced equation inherent in the programming of the matrix. You are the eventuality of an anomaly which despite my sincerest efforts I have been unable to eliminate from what is otherwise a harmony of mathematical precision. While it remains a burden deciduously avoided it is not unexpected and thus not beyond a measure of control. Which has led you inexcerably here.



Neo: You haven~{!/~}t answered my question.

Architect: Quite right. Interesting, that was quicker then the others.



Neo: Others? (What others? How many? Answer me)

Architect: The Matrix is older then you know. I prefer counting from the emergence of one integral anomaly to the emergence of the next. In which case this is the sixth version.



Neo: Then there are only two possible explanations, either no one told me, or no one knows.

Architect: Precisely, as you are undoubtedly gathering the anomaly is systemic. Creating fluctuations in even the most simplistic equations.

Neo: Choice, the problem is choice.

Architect: The first matrix I designed was quite naturally perfect; it was a work of art, flawless, sublime. A triumph equaled only by its monumental failure. The inevitability of its doom is apparent to me now as a consequence of the imperfection inherent in every human being. Thus, I redesigned it, Based on your history to more accurately reflect the varying grotesqueries of your nature. However I was again frustrated my failure. I have since come to understand that the answer eluded me because it required a lesser mind a mind less bound by the parameters of perfection. Thus the answer was stumbled upon by another, and intuitive program, initially created to investigate certain aspects of the human psyche. If I am the father of the matrix, she would undoubtedly be its mother.

Neo: The Oracle



Architect: Please, as I was saying she stumbled upon a solution whereby nearly 99 percent of all test subjects accepted the program as long as they were given a choice, even if they were only aware of the choice at an unconscious level. While this answered function it was obviously fundamentally flawed thus creating the otherwise contradictory systemic anomaly. That if left unchecked might threaten the system itself, ergo those that refuse the program while the minority if unchecked would cause an escalating probability of disaster.

Neo: This is about Zion

Architect: You are here because Zion is about to be destroyed. Its every living inhabitant terminated, its entire existence eradicated.

Neo: Bullshit

Architect: Denial is the most predictable of all human responses. But, rest assured, this will be the sixth time we have destroyed it. And we have become exceedingly efficient at it. The function of the One is now to return to the source allowing a temporary dissemination of the code you carry reinserting the prime program after which you will be required to select from the matrix 23 individuals, 16 female 7 male, to rebuild Zion. Failure to comply with this process will result in a cataclysmic system crash killing everyone connected to the matrix. Which, coupled with the extermination of Zion will ultimately result in the extinction of the entire human race.





Neo: You won~{!/~}t let it happen, you can~{!/~}t. You need human beings to survive.

Architect: There are levels of survival we are prepared to accept. However the relevant issue is whether you are ready to accept the responsibility for the death of every human being in this world. It is interesting reading your reactions. Your 5 predecessors were by design based on a similar predication a contingent affirmation that was meant to create a profound attachment to the rest of your species facilitating the function of the One. While the others experienced this in a very general way your experience is far more specific, vis-a-vis love.





Neo: Trinity

Architect: Appropriately, she entered the matrix to save your life at the cost of her own.

Neo: No



Architect: Which brings us at last to the moment of truth, wherein the fundamental flaw is ultimately expressed and the anomaly revealed as both beginning and end. There are two doors, the door to your right leads to the source and the salvation of Zion, the door to your left leads back to the matrix to her and to the end of your species. As you adequately put, the problem is choice. But we already know we you are going to do don~{!/~}t we? Already I can see the chain reaction the chemical precursors that signal the onset of an emotion designed specifically to overwhelm logic and reason. An emotion that is already blinding you from the simple and obvious truth, she is going to die and there is nothing you can do to stop it. Hope, it is the quintessential human delusion simultaneously the source of your greatest strength and your greatest weakness.




Neo: If I were you, I would hope that we don~{!/~}t meet again.

Architect: We won~{!/~}t.

obt or fooji, how did u add all the grapics into this blog ah? i've been tryin to do it in another blog but cannot lah. and how come no one else writes in this blog ah?

Monday, May 26, 2003

hi guys, looks like this is the first msg ever from me in this blogger. sorry guys, still trying to figure how this whole works and expermenting here and there...also have been checking out those messages that have been posted here, WoW...some big issues being put up, well, it's really provocative...

Sunday, May 25, 2003

Teong, did you submit our blog to Malaysian Central blog?
if not, most probably we are spotted ! wow, what honour,... check it out at Malaysia Central

Friday, May 23, 2003

I typed quite a lengthy mail, which I am sure not long-winded, political nor dragging. I was disappointed by the fact that free mail providers like the one I am currently and still faithfully using, Lycos,and also Yahoo, have limited the number of recipients per mail to around 20 or 25. Curious, inquisitive, and agitated as I was, besides the plentiful of time I have these days together with the free fast braodband availability, I resolved to find out why they actually came to a point to implement such restriction. Indeed, I was acknowledged! Firstly, to reduce the number of spamming. Secondly, to make sure that mails are sent to only active addresses. It is true that, the traffic on the Net, particularly, the World Wide Web, has become heavy and congested. People just simply sign up for new accounts, forget passwords then sign up for new ones, and let the addresses inactive for a long period of time. All these actually cause a lot of maintenance and load balancing works to be done at the backends; by the providers, the database administrators and web developers.

Teong, all the best in your after-training phase. Sure you had learnt a lot.

If you mean, you want feedback that only you can read, the only one i know would be response-o-matic, which i am also using. All comments will be posted to your email. But it is rather outdated, and the modify it, not easy. THis thing alone I have to spend hours just to fit it in my tables. but it is reliable. Go to www.response-o-matic.com.

Thursday, May 22, 2003

Today is Thursday, May the 22nd, which is also the second last day of my industrial training. Yesterday I received a call from Jakarta, Indonesia. Yes, from Jakarta! It was my supervisor. He needed to inform me badly that he won't be able to come to Malaysia until next week... so the initial post mortem, supposed to be held today, nonetheless, has to be cancelled. Sigh... knowing the fact he is not around, I am free to do my own work... makan gaji buta only! :) :p
BTW, Fooji, there is a private feedback for one of my blogs, my question is, how am I able to read it? Need to sign up with BlogExtra? No easier way?

I think a revolution is needed to end this all. we need our own Neo and morpheus

This meritocarcy issue will never be an out-of-fashion topic because history keep repeating itself. After what happened to our batch, it seems like this year's batch also suffer like us even though the edu ministry claimed that it has reformed in certain ways, i.e. changing the quota system into a meritocracy system. One can really laugh looking at the statistics at how well the Malays did in matriculations. I'm the statisctics would be different if they were to ask to sit in the same exam as the rest of us. But then, you'll never know what excuses they can come out with then, to push them into university. Can we sit by and watch this continue to happen?

Wednesday, May 21, 2003

i took more than 3 hours to design and redesign...in the end it is still not up to mark... sigh! something is missing :/

screw the meritrocracy system. it's just another form of quota system which is more extreme! a guy wif 3A's and 1C was offered biotech in sabah when he applied for medicine and dentistry. wat's the rational in there?

Below is a part of an article entitled Merit-based system politicised from the start: critics posted at Malaysiakini
‘Racial issue’

Umno Youth education bureau chief Dr Adham Baba was fast to point out the ‘dangers’ of debating over the ‘meritocracy’ issue.

“It seems the opposition is dragging it into becoming a racial issue, which we should avoid at all costs,” he told malaysiakini in an earlier interview. He said the opposition parties and the NGOs seemed to want to spoil the chances of bumiputra students from obtaining tertiary education.

He argued that many bumiputra students were also left out and could not get places with the ‘merit’ system. He urged those dissatisfied with the system to scrutinise the statistics carefully, particularly the success rate according to each ethnic group.

Out of 34,489 bumiputra applicants, 22,557 or 65 percent were successful. Out of 10,533 Chinese applicants, 8,665 or 82 percent gained entry. Out of 2,537 Indian applicants, 1,530 or 60 percent booked a spot.

“So, what is the issue?” asked Adham. “There are also those who applied but were not qualified in the first place. Why must the percentage be seen from the number of total applicants, while many [others] actually do not qualify?”

Adham said it was “not right” for certain quarters to be unhappy that an increasing number of bumiputra were able to enter university.

“Will those groups also complain if the number of non-bumiputra students was more [than before]?” he asked.


My comments
Dr.Adham is up to something, and had definitely done a lot of dig outs before he, confidently and dogmatically, expressed and challenged those who are disatisfied and disappointed by the "cover up" merit system. I must applaud and praise him also for his ability to give the exact statistical numbers and results to prove his points and even asked the public to scrutinise them! Well done Dr.Adham! But there are a few holes that he digged, he has forgotten to fill up, perhaps he was too inspired and triggered up at that moment...I don't blame him! In fact, Dr.Aham was not that greedy, he was so satisfied that he abandoned a few other loop holes. I, humbly, would like to ask Dr.Adham, out of the 82% Chinese who were successful, how many were actually offered the qualified and desired courses especially medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy? how many out of the 65% of the Malays who were successful, were actually qualified to be offered the desired courses, again especially medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy?

Authentic, genuine, and true-to-life blog from Pang here! "Meritrocacy" in Malaysia IS, and is not seemed to be, formulated, calculated, enumerated, and correspondingly conterfeited and forged! Don't you and I know, and everyone knows, that as long as there exists matriculation, which is separated from STPM, merit system is just a nonsense and delusion! Matriculation itself, as what I mentioned in my previous mail, is a clear, obvious and explicit evidence and exhibition of inequality... how can one be affirmed that the quota system is already abolished?! Unless, again, the matriculation is ripped off from the education system...but then, if this were to be the case in near future, I am confident that you and I will soon be hearing news like "...outstanding performance shown by the Malays in the STPM, therefore, the intake of Malays remains higher than the Chinese..."......and hence "Malaysia's meritocracy" continues to thrive......

Tuesday, May 20, 2003

Meritocracy Re-defined

There is a new definition for the term "meritocracy" in Malaysia and don't anyone bother to look up any Oxford or Webster's dictionary. It ain't there. Cos' it's coined by the so-called "Professor" Hassan Said, Head of Higher Education Department, Ministry of Education, Malaysia. Apparently, his view and definition of "Meritocracy" is also supported by the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia. From his perception, meritocracy can be achieved under a few different routes of entry into university. Apparently, this Professor of Mathematics feels that the STPM can be compared as equal and identical to Matriculation. Details can be elaborated later. But one can't help but wonder... how can this person be accorded the title of "Professor" when he is not disinterested and his comments non-objective. Perhaps this person ain't a good testimony of "Meritocracy" after all......

Nothing much to say. Just counting down to my last day of training. I had actually requested my supervisor to have a post mortem meeting with me before I leave... and indeed he agrees! No doubt, I am going to ask him a lot of questions, mainly regarding the software industry, programming life, and the computer knowledge.

I was shocked and sort like in a state of disbelief because I heard of fresh grads (electrical engineering and computer related fields) getting high paids ranging from 2500 to 3400!!! Imagine!!! That's a lot man... those companies are Altera and Agilent. This really makes me wonder how much Microsoft, Oracle, Sun Microsystem, IBM, HP, Fujitsu, Siemens, Alcatel, Toshiba Electronics, Cisco, Novell are going to pay you if you can get in! :/

Monday, May 19, 2003

Fooji, I don't think I heard anyone mentioning about Ipoh Tauges during the reunion :) Many, I believe, signed-up for the sake of just signing up... sigh! Like what you said, they don't know how advantageous this blog is and are shying away... don't think they bother to try it out also... or maybe they are really just to busy...with their gfs/bfs :/

Next time, if you want to organise any yum cha session or dinner session, you must make a planning few days earlier, making sure everyone who agrees confirmed coming! Our mistake was... on Wednesday night, we didn't really know that almost 20 were coming, and in the end, we had to squeeze and eat... eat for the sake of eating for fun and not filling the stomach... imagine 18 of us on one table! 7 dishes... said to be extra large.. but hmmm... extra large for 10 persons perhaps...

Yo... will be leaving my working life soon... and you know, final year gonna be superb tough... forseeing the headache I shall encounter with my thesis... and I still don't know what I am capable of doing... programming small things dahlah nak mampus, somemore ask me to build a system! Too much man! :) By the way, are you going back this week? If not, I can come over and catch up with you. I will not be going back until next Monday... to enjoy my 2 weeks off... got to look into my thesis thingy first... see if there is any news or notice regarding it....

Till now, I still wonder, how many people actually come to this blog, besides Teong, Me, sometimes ennie, pang.
Did the topic of Ipoh Tauges even come up during the reunion?

Wah lau, you guys responded to the reunion this time around !! I thought most of you gave up meeting each other. Maybe now, after the working period or holidays is over, you begin to think about good old friends. Sigh,.... i remember the last time i tried to call people out for yumcha, though most of you in Ipoh, the turnout was so bad, only UM guys turn up, might as well meet in my college's dewan makan. But hey, this is a good sign. SHould not give up meeting old friends,.....
and waht better place to keep in constant contact if not this blog,...sigh,...if only they see the advantage of all this

Anyway, teong, all the best to you when you come back... bye bye to Karyn Lim...
I'm quite free this week, no classes, actually we are supposed to turn to our elective assignments, but mine won't begin till next week, the amazing thing is , i don't feel like balik rumah, yet. Supposed to catch up on previous lectures.
a junior left her computer with me, but the shit thing is, it is not working... cannot start,... maybe it is the battery problem again, teong, if you are dropping by, please help me fix this.

It seems so unusual and freakish to be back in office again after a five-day-streak off in Ipoh. Someone changed my keyboard...this new one is not up to mark! The keys are incredibly hard and rigid! You will easily miss many keys especially the spacebar when you start typing a sentence. Whatever, this is no big deal as I will be leaving the company this Friday. Already 15 weeks! Phew! What's been on the way these few days in Ipoh? Hmmm...no blog...though I did drop anchor at Warung Ikanbakar and Ipoh Tauges. Reunion dinner was quite unanticipated...the initial plan was, I wanted to meet up with my old buddy, Kok Ming and I really meant "drink tea", no makan whatsoever, but in the end we ended up in FMS! Ironically, many turned up! Perhaps we have started to miss each other very much...reminiscing the good old days we had at 6AA! I don't know. :) And people, who came in and out, kept on asking me, when am I going to step into political scene!? I was like... stunned and hmmm... telling myself... "it is not that easy as what been and is said"! I managed to talk to a few old friends, and indeed, I was sort like noted to be "stupid" because eventually if I were to be in politics, I will be against the MCA, which simply means, no "datukship", no "ministership", and worse still, from time to time, facing the possibilty of being jailed and you know, in the end, I will be losing everything! To me, I am ready for all these! Believe it or not, you have your rights to judge... :)

Thursday, May 15, 2003

Hi people, I'm currently having flu. It's a mild one and I'm very sure it's nor sars as i don't really have cough and not fever. Kust running nose and headache. So, take care of your health and don't end up like me =)

Monday, May 12, 2003

Hello people, hope you guys are having a good start for the new week. I am. Had a good sleep last night, after a nice weekend holiday in PD.

Teong, I got your message, well, mediocre or not, you have joined in the political writing for good, keep up the good work. If you screenshots today, Jeff OOi sudah kembang with his work, and claims that he is doing a one man show... he must have forgotten about Oon Yeoh, Teong and Fooji !! ahaha, I know many more political blogs la,.....He must be kidding himself.
Yes, you are right, there are many humble people around with much more substance to show than those who have become famous. So, really, we do not need to invest so much to achieve fame, when deep inside, it is all empty and smelly. God, will know what is true.
Happy working and studying people....
and don't forget about the upcoming Teacher's Day -- honour your best teachers !

This week in 1991, Tim Berners-Lee presented the architecture for the World Wide Web to the European Particle Physics Laboratory in Geneva, Switzerland. Fooji, he is the inventor of WWW and is managing the the standards, protocols, and issus related. Visit the WWW consortium site here!

If you would like to know and surf for details of some of the humble geniuses or top programmers in the world, I recommend you Shigeru Miyamoto(known as the father of games programming,creator and founder of Nintendo games console), John Carmack(inventor of the modern 3Dgames engine, modern engine accelerator or sort, and he is driving a F50), Hideo Kojima(chief designer and lead for Metal Gear Solid), Hironobu Sakaguchi(if you enjoy and marvel at Final Fantasy, thank him. he is the chief designer and architect of the Final Fantasy game, which is played using the Sony PS/2), Sid Meier(wonder why u always seem to lose to the computer in battles, like in warcraft?ask him because he is the founder and creator of the ideas behind strategy games), Kazunori Yamauchi (wonder why the cars and movements and races like in the real world? thank him! creator of Grand Turismo and the founder of a mathematics technique called 3-D polygonal, which is now widely used in programming 3-D polygonal games).

Friday, May 09, 2003

Moderation, Not Totalism.

I must commend Boon Teong for his other perspective of the "Malay Special Priveleges". It was defiitely insightful and broad-viewed. Nevertheless, I wish wo pose a few challenges to the author.

1.) I've heard of Chinese parents whose children were not accepted into public universities and thus, sent their children to the private colleges. In order to fund the child's education, they had to sell their jewelry, car, get a mortgage and make other financial adjustments in everyday living. Would you please tell them in a easonable, logical way that all their sacrifices are justified. Tell them too that there are many Malay millionaires whose sons and daughters are on multiple scholarships studying abroad. Make them understand.

2.) My good friend, Loy Kak Choon could have become a Pharmacist, and my former classmate, Yew Chee Yen could have saved RM 200,000 (excluding living expenses) and studied Medicine in one of the local universities. Instead, the former is now in Terengganu studying in an unknown university-college and the latter in a Russian medical college whose course is 6 years instead of 5. Tell them all these sacrifeices are for a good cause - to ensure the well-being and welfare of the Malaysian society. Don't forget too that Pang Hoong Chee says that there are 20 medical students of a "priveleged race" in the University of Malaya flunking their exams, most of which can't even much in English, yet most likely they'll be Dr.-Leader-Of-The-Future. Them my two good friends that everything is ok.

3.) Please name me one race or ethnic group in the world today that is strong in will and character because of "priveleges' and "open doors". And I'll show you 100 others that are strong because of adversities and harsh circumstances in life. In actuality, the Special Race of Malaysia have only grown in Money and Possessions, but definitely not in Mentality and Perspective. Special priveleges have created a whole generation of Malays that expect life to handed to them on a silver platter, and who don't appreciate the generosity of the Government.

4.) In the Anatomy Department is a lecturer that has taught and researched Anatomy for 40 years. He is now an associate professor. Guess what? So is his Head of Department, a "Special Priveleged" lady who also happen to be his former student. He's 60, she's 45. Please, tell him that she NEEDS to be the head of department because without it, Malaysia would be in social chaos, just like Indonesia. By the way, tell him also about the 3 full PROFs in Biochemistry Department. They are only in thier 40s.

My point in all these is, QUOTA SYSTEM per se is not wrong nor inappropriate. However the IMPLEMENTATION of it is. Justify the fact that sons and daughters of MINISTERS and MILLIONAIRES are on multiple scholarships, most of which are not spent on BOOKS but HANDPHONES and FLASHY MOTORCYCYLES. If quota system is really about balancing the socioeconomy of Malaysia, why is there a need to segregrate Malays into religious schools, boarding schools, and matriculations? The Indians have been entering universities on a a different grading all these years - we Chinese never made any noise -because they came in under the same pre-university examination. It is the lack of transparency in the implementation that causes all this uproar and dissatisfaction. There seems to be an extremism and obsession in ensuring that Malays be ahead in all areas of life possible. Malay dominance is the term coined by UMNO. The manipulation and ABUSE of the so-called still-needed special priveleges have suddenly made the Malays concious of their identity, so much so that other religions and ethnics are not allowed to have religious activities in government property, as stipulated in the University-College Act 1976. This is a personal experience. My second and final point is that the MAIN ISSUE in this Special Priveleges topic is much less about MONEY AND WEALTH, it's about HOPES AND DREAMS AND ALL YOU EVR WANTED TO BE. It's about losing something to a less deserving person. And sometimes, that something is an ASPIRATION one has harboured all lifetime. Lastly, since when was Malaysia equated to Indonesia?

The big commotion again! My say is, Malaysia politicians, especially those in UMNO, should be acknowledged for their dexterity and craft in making small matters into big hoo-has! Because their leaders are being slightly criticised! Somehow, I did manage to read the whole survey done by Lockwood from a copy of The Economist, 5th April issue, not only the online version of "Changing the guard". I have to admit that he had conducted a comprehensive, extensive, and in-depth survey. And what he was perceiving and assuming is nevertheless true and not pointless and baseless. Perhaps, he should be more conscientious in making a statement like "...and the best he (Dr M) can render to the country is to retire, full stop." Assuredly, Mr Lockwood missed out something here. He should have had known that Malaysia politicians are vulnerable and easily disheartened by such a short phrase, which is negative and invalidating their leaders. Notwithstanding, Mr.Lockwood has opened my eyes and I am sure many others too. “Terdapat orang bodoh yang masih lagi membaca The Economist, tetapi saya percaya rakyat Malaysia lebih cerdik. Mereka dapat membezakan apabila majalah itu berbohong dengan perkara benar yang dilaporkan." The "bodohs" will definitely be able to differentiate the "bohong" and the "perkara benar". :)

Wednesday, May 07, 2003

Boon Teong...a very powerful message ypu are sending here. Actually, I knew the fact that without quota system, our country could end up like Indonesia. And that's not a very good prospect, isn't it? I'm not sure if it is good to have quota system or not. There will always be pros and cons. The Bumiputras will become overly dependent on the system while the other ethnics will continue to feel that they are deprived of certain priviliges, the most obvious one being education. And even when the edu ministry claim that they have scraped off quota system, we see unbelivable surge of good results in matriculations, unheard before this. All in all, I do think quota system is still very much needed in this country where peace among multiethnic groups should come first. Well, other groups like us Chinese will benefit in a certain way - we are taught to be independent and to develop skills to survive in the society. We are taught not to take things for granted and to appreciate what we have achieved. But, we Chinese are lacking in something - that is the desire the serve our own country. For those who are educated in local unis, we have no choice but for many of us, who would turn down a chance to live and work in a more developed country? Perhaps it is because we don't feel that we owe it to our own country to do that. Though Malaysia has educated us for at least 11 years, we never thought of this very fact when we comtemplate about our future. Don't get me wrong, I'm not against people who wants to work abroad. It's just that many did not think that Malaysia needs lots of services from us people. With this kind of mentality, the country will not progress as it is brain drained. Perhapps people like us can make a difference if we stay. Of course we cannot expect things to change overnight but sometimes, we should see the joy in serving our very own fellowmen in whatever ways we can. Minority groups are not less fortunate. We are fortunate in many ways if only we see beyond our horizons.

MAXIMUM INSANITY...I like this WORD...

how about the others??? wish u all hv a happy holiday....about me...i still got 10 more days to finish my industrial training....YEAHHHHHHH.........

N how r u, Fooji n Pang??? really soli bcoz being the admin of this page...n ppl who always on-line all the time...oso din visit to u all oso...HOW R U, guys??? ok with studies? regarding to the political topic u all discussed now...i'm not very understand with it...so it is better for me to keep my mouth shut....but very fun to read urs "article".. i think next time u all can publish ur own book oledi........hahahahaahhhaaaaaa.......

soli of being silent for long time...bcoz now is busying with something else...teong...regarding to ur work, me also face the same situation as yours....in charge of everything of the project....layout design...database design..data flow....programming language....problem solution...n bla bla bla....but really can learn a lot....PHP...UM is running wit PHP....according frens who r in PTM....

Hey, what is really wrong with "special privileges of the Bumiputeras"?! This is rather an unanticipated and startling question-cum-statement from a considerably educated Chinese university student living in Malaysia for more than 20 years! Posting this is relatively posting myself as a subjective, flimsy, introverted, whimsical and spooked person! No principle and doctrine and worse still a coward who dare not to fight for his own right and what is white or black! True! You are hitting it precisely and accurately! BUT do look on the other way round. Try to imagine as you are reading this, what would Malaysia be without this policy? especially during the economy turmoil few years back.Perhaps Indonesia will come across your mind! Placing a Chinese leader in the place of Dr.M will not guarantee us equality,justice,opportunity, and everything we,the public ask for. This is due to the fact, Malaysia is multi-cultural, the largest ethnic group is the Malay, and we Chinese only make up to the most 30% or 40% of the entire population! Compare to our neighbours, Thailand,Indonesia,and the Philippines, aren't we much blessed and privileged than those Chinese there? They are calling themselves Thais,Indons and Filipinos whereas we are calling ourselves Chinese and having Chinese names, like me ONG BOON TEONG and in Mandarin WANG WEN CHONG! Do they know how to speak Chinese and any dialects? or do they have the chance to know their origins and to learn their dialects in the first place? NO! How about Singapore, the one nearest to us?! U might ask! They are prospering man! All of them so wealthy! "WAH LAU YEH"! The fact is Chinese are predominants there, making up more than 70% of all Singaporeans.Chinese voices are strong and influential because of this nature. Furthermore, Singapore is a small state,making it easier to manage and administer. They, the Singaporeans have to thank the mother of nature too in the sense that their nation is an island and is more than ideally and strategically located. Literally, the Kerpel Harbour is a gift from heaven! And yet they are no close to perfect! Because they are "kiasus" and "kiasis"! Sometimes I am grateful that I was born a Malaysian Chinese. This has made me to be more well-rounded and balanced. We know what it means to be deprived of own rights and capabilities and talents and we know how to appreciate what we are getting, even though more often than not,they are just the "left-overs" from the Bumis' privileges. And more than discernible and distinguishable also that we non-Malays are the "oppressed" and "rejected" groups. Unfortunately, we, including many Chinese and especially university students, are not appreciating and grateful for what we actually have in our hands even in deprivation! How much more if we are granted the "hak-hak istimewa"! We are well advanced and ahead of others in studies, in exams, and in doing "dirty and tricky" businesses but don't you think we are merely losers in any other fields?Would they care for those who are denied and are less fortunate?Would they care and ever thought to serve the community if not Malaysia,elsewhere in the world, after they graduated with their unbelievable and outtstanding 1st class honours degrees?Would they share their intelligence and knowledge in R&D or even in forums?I am sure more than 90% will say "Who cares!As long as I get the best, top 1st class results in exams, straight A's, and getting money into my pocket...who the heck man, those deprived would survive on their own!" In conclusion, instead of complaining and murmuring, why don't we try to accept what is conformed into our socio-political circumstance now? I am not advising or persuading each one of us to be ignorant,naive and oblivious of Malaysia's politics. The core here is, we need to have a strong foundation and precise timing of our own to criticise or else what we are lambasting, though maybe true and factual, will just be again like grasping the wind! Insiders like Pang Hoong Chee and Foo Chee Hoe in UM are those very few should be commended for their efforts and spirit in fighting for more equality or "justice" and also for their concrete,analytical,sensible and discerning viewpoints and knowledge, be it in academic or politics.

Tuesday, May 06, 2003

Racial Intergration - Premature or Degeneration?
With reference to your comment that racial intergration in Malaysia is at a "premature state", I can't help but beg to differ. To evaluate the state of racial intergration, racial harmony etc in Malaysia, one must compare the past and present, the changes that occured, if any. In this respect, it is my personal view that racial intergration in Malaysia is actually degenerating, and NOT in a supposed PREMATURE state. Prior to May 13 1969, there were no so-called special priveleges of the Bumiputeras ("Princes Of The Soil"). There being no such injustice (the way i perceive it), there were no separate education system (the boarding schools or asrama school), no separate university entrance exam ( the STPM vs the Matriculation), no designated land for Muslims (Tanah Simpanan Melayu), no specially allocated Bumiputera shares (Amanah Saham Bummiputera), and no quota system. Prior to that, there was sufficient racial balance and representation at government bureaucracies, civil service and even in the armed forces - the army, the police and RELA. Malaysians, or whatever title they chose to christine themselves, could openly laugh at their own racial and ethnic idiosyncracies.

One must be more discerning when analysing the words of politicians, even and especially those from the top in UMNO, MCA, MIC.

Instead of creating a harmonious Malaysia where "every race and religion is free to practice their culture", the Malaysia of today is, in many ways, much less desirable than the Malay Federation of the past. The UMNO and Malay politicians would want ALL Malaysians to believe that the British's priniciple of "Divide and Rule" during colonial times was and is the CAUSE of any racial disunity. On closer scrutiny however, one can see that it is here today that we have labels of "Muslim and non-Muslim", "Bumiputera and non-Bumiputera". The UMNO-led government is in fact the major factor of inter-racial suspicion, inter-ethnic bitterness and obviously the reason for Islamic terrorism and extremism in today's Malaysia. Further discussion would not be possible here.

I urge the author to be more discerning and to exercise reasonable cynicism when dissecting the words of politicians. They are, after all, politicians.

Teong,
relax man ! But, I think I understand the feeling, sometimes, the lecturers impose their principles and opinions on us, without actually knowing where we come from. And, there are people, who are insensitive to other people's peculiarity and individual strength. Kind of selfish la, actually. Since last year, i learn to put myself in others' shoes, not everyone is like me, not everyone would share the same strength as mine, and not everyone knows my own pain and labour.
But yes, you should be proud of yourself,... don't be angered man !!
All the best, buddy

Gosh! This is frustrating man! People just don't understand your intention and situation! Geniuses they might be, but don't they have understanding for those who can't apprehend and grasp as much and as fast as them? I wonder! I am in the midst of almost cracking my own head, squeezing every drop of whatever juice in my brain, people will just ignorantly and arrogantly discredit what I have been doing. True, I have not done much and I don't even think I will be able to complete all the tasks assigned to me and what I am doing is just a trivial thing for many, but do understand me! I am not God! Considering my effort and my patience, I am proud of myself of being capable to handle everything on my own without showing disagreement to those above me, capturing brand new knowledge without references, being sort like "boycotted" I never hold any grudge, thank God, I manage to put Him in the centre of my heart. If not, my anger and disatisfaction will erupt, sooner or later! Phew!

Monday, May 05, 2003

Fooji, Dinesh Nair's alphaque and Jeff Ooi's USJ.com.my are built using PHP server side scripting language! Wow! This is the language I like the most! And it is free, open source! Great man! Wonder whether I will be able to build and develop such websites! Jealous already! Really feel like spending and burying my time in designing and developing a site as such! Lot of things to consider and plan actually, eg:layout design,workflow,database design and implementation,programming web pages. Sigh! I don't think for a person like me, one year is enough also.

List of top CS/Engineering universities websites:

UNITED STATES

Stanford University My dream!

Massachusett Institute of Technology Technology haven!

Carnegie-Mellon University Computer Science Maniac!

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Georgia Institute of Technology

University of California Berkeley One of US public universities

University of Michigan

OUTSIDE UNITED STATES

University of Edinburgh,Scotland Home of AI...as known

Imperial College London,England

University of Waterloo,Canada

University of Toronto,Canada

Take your own sweet time to compare between all these top universities together with those Ivies :) Enjoy!

As promised, here are the links to all 8 Ivies' websites :


1. Brown University

2. Columbia University

3. Cornell University

4. Dartmouth University

5. Harvard University

6. University of Pennsylvania

7. Princeton Univeristy

8. Yale University

Please take note that the arrangement above is not in ranking order.However, Princeton,Harvard,Yale,and Cornell are, most of the time, known as "top-half" Ivies. Harvard is notably great in business, Cornell in engineering and technology, Yale in law, and Princeton in overall. There are only 8 Ivies but Stanford University and Massachusett Institute of Technology (MIT) are usually invited to participate in the annual event of Ivy League Sports.

yo dudes. i'm back in ipoh now after a gruelling month of basic clinicals. so wats the snitch?

Friday, May 02, 2003

Hello, people. I am back to blogs after 2 days of absence, went back and my PC gave up on me.
Thank God for alex@kooi fatt !! Really helped to kickstart again,....
remind me to belanja him a good meal !!
woohoo !!
teong, how come no new blog?