I'm not feeling too well today and Royal's will start tomorrow. Yikes. I'll promise to blog on Royals, whatever the outcome is, as I have this gut feeling that this would be my last Royals!

ps: Semua dijemput hadir!

Just another day

This coming Tuesday and Wednesday - 2 of the most important exams yet.

Stressed out.

Exhausted.

Back and joint pain.

And now, HUNGRY. No food at home yet the weather is 15' outside (plus rainy and windy) so it will take a hell lot of will power for me to brave the cold just to keep the growling noises from my tummy silent for a minute.

Don't you feel sorry for me?

I feel sorry for me.

Someone, feed me and give me a back rub please. Sigh.

I wanna go home.

Slumdog Millionare

 

I just saw the trailer and read the reviews of this movie, and I must say - I'm having great expectations already. I hope this movie will hit our shores, tho I'm a bit skeptical that it would happen. Can't hardly wait...

I am officially SAD

Someone's going to Bangkok for THREE WEEKS next Tuesday and will only come back 2 days before my flight back to KL ='(

I'll put on a smile and try not to do anything stupid, like cry (don't think I will though)

I just hate saying goodbye.

Making sense of Shahril

by Zuhri Aziz

A motion on education at the Umno Lembah Pantai division meeting last week caught my interest. It was for more emphasis on the subject of history in schools a direct response to the Prime Ministers call to make the subject compulsory at primary school level. It ultimately found unanimous support among delegates.

The rationale: History can fill the gaping vacuum that has been preventing the majority of youth from appreciating the socio-cultural development of the various communities in Malaysia.

Admittedly, I too have struggled to find a satisfactory explanation as to why this has happened. After all, I underwent roughly the same syllabus the history of Malaysia's road to nationhood and learnt the importance of harmonious race relations. So, why the sudden need to re-educate our youth?

I met with Shahril, 23, a former student leader. As a representative of his young peers and a proud second generation product of the New Economic Policy, I was hopeful he would be able to provide a thought starter. I was also aware that a conversation with Shahril would not (by a mile) constitute a comprehensive picture of the issue.

As we spoke and I found out more about the diet Shahril and his friends grew up on, it reinforced my initial belief that an important reason behind the different ways we view Malaysia was because of access to information.

My generation had relied heavily on the textbooks, teachers and of course the Government-controlled media. In many cases, whatever information churned out was taken as unquestionable truth. Shahril, on the other hand, had grown up with the Internet.

It was his medium and a strong substitute for traditional information dissemination. His understanding of historical and cultural realities were influenced by the many analysts and pioneer online socio-political commentators like the late journalist MGG Pillai and current MP Jeff Ooi. Although Shahril said he had abandoned most local forums and blogs because of their increasingly tabloid-esque content, the Internet connection was and nonetheless still is the major influencing platform for his generations strong views on issues. Views that were not necessarily the same as those in the mainstream media.

His political awakening, he remembers, came circa 1998 the controversies, and commotion surrounding Anwar Ibrahim. The extensive coverage of subsequent court cases via alternative telecommunications platforms guaranteed that Shahrils generation was arriving at political cynicism much earlier. As a result, although an Umno supporter, Shahril admitted to still feeling some degree of sympathy towards Anwar.

Shahril also seemed focused on the intangibles of a host of different issues including race relations, equality, freedom of speech, and injustices in politics. For example, he couldn't fathom why much of the Barisan Nasional campaign rhetoric of the last General Elections insisted on looking backwards by focusing on physical development. To Shahril and his peers, the physical developmental prowess of the BN was old currency.

In his eyes, Bangsar has always been a thriving entertainment and shopping district. The North South highway has always connected people from faraway places. In a way, this embodies the fact that Malaysia is taken for granted by many and especially by our youth as a constantly developing country. Physically anyway.

So, Shahrils generation is looking out for explanations on certain current issues relating to nation-building and race relations that will shape their future. Specifically, they feel the traditional rhetoric must be modified. The thirst for answers for their analytical and Internet influenced mind must be quenched by laying out the facts, toning down the spin.

As much as they look at past history, they are also looking at the future.

People of my generation must admit that the goal post has changed. I feel we may well be playing a different game altogether. As the electorate becomes younger almost 50 per cent by the time the next election comes around there is a need to address the detachment.

Do not get me wrong; it is a good idea to inject history lessons at a younger age. But we need to look at the issue in light of today's realities. It would be simplistic to think the younger generations views are formed by their ignorance of the facts of history, or due to the case of young blood.

As Shahril took leave and walked away from our coffee table, I picked up the distinct youthful swagger in his stride.

I am unsure if we have failed our younger generation, but we have certainly failed to keep up with them.

● Zuhri Aziz is the Deputy Director of Akademi Pemuda. The views expressed here and in his recently set up blog (tgzuhri.blogspot. com) do not represent the views of the organisation he works with.

*Taken from today's Malay Mail

Dropping by

I had a bad week.

So i think i deserve today's delight - the good night sleep, the yummy sushi, the perfect sunny weather, the nice atmosphere outside. Suddenly everything and everyone look picture perfect in my eyes : )

Thursday's a very productive day indeed! Settled all my laundry, petronas claims, cleaned my room so at least I get to breathe fresh air for a start : ) All I need to do left is to vacuum my room (my vacuum cleaner's not working though) AND bring myself to study. Oh my. Okay, I HAVE TO start tonite. I can't afford to screw any one of my papers. Especially not this semester please. So yes Nabila, do yourself a favor and start doing some serious accounting work ok?

OK.

Anyways, that's it I guess.

More of happier days ahead, I hope!

Exams

My finals are coming up in about a week.

Yes, I am currently in the self-absorbed/obsessive mode where I think, eat and breathe Corporate Law and MFI. I wished it had come sooner than this but it's never too late right.

I hope this obsession stays till my exam. I need this sorta momentum going.

And NO, I will NOT drop any of my finance subjects just because some of my friends are doing it hence I will still stick to my old plan of majoring in both accounting & finance cause I love finance. Plus it's good to have finance to balance out the technical and boring aspects of accounting. The calculations and theory in finance can at least keep me sane and entertained for the whole one year plus that I have left.

Et pour votre information, je vais etudiante le langue de francais, encore! Je suis tres heureux! : )

Anyway, wish me luck in my exam! I'll be needing your prayers : )

Have a good night everyone

xxxxxx