Thursday 27 March 2014

Duuhhhhh reporting....



The above, a snaphot from The New Straits Times today.
Is there any privacy at all? "A plastic bag consisting of clothes and toiletries" ... I can imagine how pissed I would be if Im in the brothers' position.

It is such an intrusion, it is a lame kind of reporting even if you're so desperate to fill in your empty column. 
Get real people. Im pretty sure you wont find the brothers carrying boxes of secret informations related to the missing aeroplane.

Duuhhhhhh.....


Wednesday 26 March 2014

Bracing the attacks.

While it must be very difficult for families to accept the lost of loved ones, failure in obtaining any clue or even a piece of debris from the missing Malaysia Airlines jetliner MH370-- announcement made by the premier couple that the plane last detected in the Indian Oceans, enraged family members even more.

Putting myself in their shoes, I must say, everyone of us want a closure, although at the end of the whole matter, there are certain things we must let go if there is no answer to it.
To any kind of happenings in our lives, none of us like to be left not knowing of what actually happened.
An answer or a proof will be a closure.
An insight of any tragedy will keep the wondering mind at peace.

Mystery of the disappearance of Boeing 777 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing managed to gather global media to descended on Malaysia and people in general are concern about the fate of the people on the aeroplane, not wanting to know what those people on the ground, those tower controllers during the incident, those officers deprived of sleep and rest are doing in order to get into the bottom of the whole situation -- answering to the families and the public.

I have watched the on-goings for the first five days dedicatedly.
Be it while in the kitchen, in the living room or in the bedroom; the cable TV and internet TV (thank god for technology) where I can get realtime news reporting form my home country has been switched on continuously.
I remember this was the similar situation during 9/11.
I was consumed with Why, Why and more Why's.

However, I must salute the faces we see daily during the press conference.
It is not an easy task being shoot with questions from journalists especially those with politically-laced questions -- they must be pre-prepared for this Im sure.
Among them my salutation goes to the airlines chief executive Ahmad Jauhari Yahya. The obvious anguish and helplessness really shown on his face.
And to asked a person to take responsibility of the tragedy to resign from his post?...That, is a total politicising the issue by reporter.
And mind you, this is not Japan we're talking about, it's Malaysia and we don't subscribe to kamikaze.
Plus, the missing of this jetliner wasn't his fault.
Even if, it was technical, even if it was 'hijacked' like the big boy of global media been trying to sell on their news report -- it is still not that one man's fault.

Not enough of 'terrorism-related' news flash from CNN, the pilot were also given the altar to be the centre of the reason behind the missing plane.
The mistake the pilot did was youtube- ing himself with his simulator which obviously made it easy be be the blamed one and people finding fault in him.
I took pity for the family members having to have people searching the house for evidence and being questions and labeled indirectly by western media as 'terrorist'.
Just because he is a Muslim.


Nonetheless, and as with every tragedy, leads either false or made-up, widespread myth-making write-ups by those 'I-do-not-know-where-they-find-time', spreading their stories over WhatsApps and Facebook and other social media -- this tragedy certainly shows undoubtedly many people never check or read what they share. An obvious oblivion I'd say.

For most, sharing is important in order to get something on their facebook wall.
For the 'developers' of these write-ups, their concern would be seeing the increasing numbers of shares and likes. Nothing more nothing less.

Let's hope the people of Malaysia, the authorities, the government and the family members of the pilot and co pilot will be strong enough to rave through this coming attacks from the Chinese families, from western media and most of all from inside the country where breeds of blamers are waiting to shoot their empty cannon all round.

Because it is easier to blame something for nothing.


CNN -- Insulting both guest experts and audience.

I have this article to share from Lt. Col. Robert Bateman on his blog.


Serious news deserves serious reporting. We, as consumers, deserve reporting that sifts through the basket and separates the wheat from the chaff before they send it out across the globe. 
Yesterday CNN started a story with: "Why are so many of the leads not only wrong, but they are false leads? That story coming up on CNN." CNN itself has been reporting all of the wrong and the false leads, minute by minute, for more than a week. There's no filtering and no serious intellectual analysis by reporters before they pass on the latest rumor. They just spasm and send out anything they hear. 
My problem is not that they are focusing on what they see as a story at the core of their capability because that is to be expected. And I do not mind at all that they are looking all over for experts. Quite a few of those they ring are obviously both professional and appropriate. My problem is that their reporters and some of their editors are doing so in such an incompetent manner. I mean, seriously, how can they expect to be taken seriously when they do a segment on the "possibility" that the missing flight has a supernatural explanation? 
The gap is in the quality of the hosts in the main studios of CNN. I watched Anderson Cooper lead off an interview with a mother of three whose partner was on the missing flight with this brilliant and insightful question: "So how does this make you feel?" Seriously? That's all you have? That is the question you are asking in order to advance our collective understanding about what is going on in this breaking news story? 
Yesterday, other reporters expressed amazement that the flight computer could have additional waypoints programmed in while en route from point A to B. Again, seriously? How is it that these anchors do not even know that you can do something like this with the $200 GPS sitting on the dashboard of their cars? CNN also found it amazing that autopilots on aircraft can actually (*gasp*) change the course of an aircraft. How is it, 11 days into this story, that the reporters remain so willfully ignorant about some of the central elements of this story? 
Of course, nobody can be an expert in everything. When there is a fast-breaking story on a topic, I can understand and sympathize with news channel hosts as they struggle to make sense of a topic they knew nothing about hours earlier. But that is not the situation here. We are more than a week into the event, heading quickly into a second, and somewhere around day 3 or 4 one would expect that all of the CNN hosts, from Wolf Blitzer to Anderson Cooper, would have spent a little bit of time getting to know the topics of modern aircraft navigation, general airline capabilities and limitations, the history of prior lost aircraft searches, and other simple things like search procedures. 
None of that is difficult, and it would only take a few hours. If especially motivated, one could spend the $100 and buy Microsoft's Flight Simulator and a joystick and start learning by doing.
Every second of research would raise intelligent questions for the experts, as well as answer dozens of stupid ones that insult both the guest experts and the audience. For example, at one point yesterday, a host asserted that at 45,000 feet the plane might "fall apart", and at another she asserted that the pilots might try for that altitude to "get more breathable air." These are the sort of things that make me glad that I have no hair, lest I try to tear it out of my scalp. 
Then there is the issue of unsubstantiated assertions appearing on-air because the reporter was winging-it at the time. This may be a throwaway to the reporter, but it is damaging because this becomes a new "fact" that will almost never die. Perhaps these statement of rumor may be forgotten by the general public before long, and this is the excuse that the hosts must clutch to as they sooth their hearts. But this inclination to "run" with the latest rumor is the one that does the most long-term damage. (See any 9-11 conspiracy theory.) What most annoys is that this is a long-standing problem with television news, and they know it. But in a recent story asserting that the plane climbed to 45,000 feet and added a new and different waypoint into the computer 12 minutes before sign-off, CNN is particularly culpable. 
All of this was passed to the public without question. WHY would a plane climb to that altitude and what is the reliability of that report? If there was a new waypoint entered, how do you know that, and exactly where was that waypoint? I wanted to scream at the screen, "Don't just assume! Don't just accept every little bit! Ask first and then report to us something which is verified and attributed to a specific source!" 
But they never do, which means all of us need to be smarter consumers of the news. Ask the questions of the news hosts that they are not asking of themselves before you believe what they say.

Monday 24 March 2014

MH370 -- Assumption beyond reasonable doubt.




Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak tonight stated that Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 had crashed at sea with no survivor at a press conference held at the Putra World Trade Center (PWTC) in Kuala Lumpur, five hour ago.

At the press conference, Malaysia Airlines and Najib Razak informed family members of passengers on Flight 370 that new satellite data concludes the plane, which vanished from radar screens on March 8, had crashed in the southern Indian Ocean, while Malaysia Airlines sent message to Chinese families gathered at a hotel in Beijing that they have to "assume beyond any reasonable doubt that MH370 has been lost and that none of those on board survived,”.

The plane which has been missing for more than two weeks supposedly crashed in the southern Indian Ocean and none of the 239 people aboard survived, quelling mountains of hopes from families who had been waiting to hear a more hopeful news.

This has been the longest and most mysterious disappearance in modern aviation history.

Citing an unprecedented new analysis of satellite data, Najib also said investigators have concluded that Flight 370 was in “the middle of the Indian Ocean west of Perth,” Australia, when it crashed. “This is a remote location far from any possible landing sites,”he told reporters. “It is therefore with deep sadness and regret that I must inform you that, according to this new data, Flight MH370 ended in the southern Indian Ocean.”

A following news conference will be held tomorrow to 'share more details' said the premier.

This will definitely be a starting point or a closure on the massive international search which involves altogether 26 countries. Whether or not continued search for the missing jetliner will be carry on by Malaysia depends on tomorrow press conference.



MAS -- The dimmed limelight.



No doubt the missing Flight MH370 managed to get the world focusing on Malaysia, but mind you, I predict it won't be painting any rainbow colours for the next maybe six months as emphasis will be given to any details of flight technical glitches to the smallest bit.

Tapping on the misfortune of the family members of those missing passengers and crew members, media will continue digging for any news they can get to sensationalise the matter.

From one foreign journalist asking the relationship of the Prime Minister with the acting Transport Minister, which if, I were the latter, would not even answered him -- a non-related question in the Press Conference, -- to indirectly trying to blame the pilot and co-pilot in the mishap, international media such as CNN will never stop picking up so-called 'scoop'.

And, if these are not bad enough, people naturally will opt for another flight should there be any, in order to not board Malaysian Airlines.

Technical problems such as the one happened to this Airbus flight to South Korea do occurred in aviation world very now and then. It happens to the most latest jetliner. 
But because a catastrophe happened to be fallen MAS, then, it shall stay with MAS...for quite a while.




Sunday 23 March 2014

Bric-à-brac - Life.


While, Im not emotionally affected in any ways as some comments I read relation to the latest aviation tragedy (shall I call it tragedy, or leave it as mystery until they recover something?...), I, on the other hand feels that if we're always aware and believe in 'expect the unexpected', our acceptance in losing someone loved, be it by death or parting, will always shield us from emotional break downs.

There is this phrase in the Al Quraan -- 'Kun Faya Kun'....interpreted it brought the meaning of  'Be, and It will be...'.
It is the order of God.
What ever he decide to be, will be as decided.
The starting of our life, in our mother's womb to the time of our death, are all predestined.

There are things that is beyond us, or beyond the reach of most intelligent human minds. 
  
If ever the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 never to be found at all, even with satellite image sightings from countries such as China, Australia and France (which in my opinion yet another showcase of one nation military and intel sophistication) then, it would, join the list of the never found Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 2501, which disappeared over Lake Michigan in 1953 . 
It vanished from radar screens after requesting a descent to 2,500 feet.

The American flight, although debris, upholstery, and human body fragments were found floating on the surface and dragging the bottom of Lake Michigan were carried out, they were unable to locate the plane's wreckage. Ever.
The flight was carrying 55 passengers and three crew members.

Lets take a look at another case in Penang, Malaysia last year. 
This accident happened last year during a freak storm near Macalister Road where one 44 year-old man succumbed to his last burial ground there and then when a concrete lightning arrestor pole structure fell and crashed into his car burying some 40m deep into the ground.

Rescuer failed to find any body or parts, but only managed to recover the back part of the car and tyres. 
Where has he gone?
Why not even a limb found?
That remains a mystery.

Could the flight MH370 received similar state of unfortunate incident and buried miles down the seabed?
I would think so.

Saturday 22 March 2014

10 theories about missing Flight MH370.


If Im not mistaken, theories including conspiracy theories of NWO agenda whatsoever started on perhaps day four after the flight went missing.
Day one was still unclear, but the news gained momentum ever since and still  is one of the discussed issue worldwide.

This excerpt I share via News.com.au.

Was lost Flight MH370 the victim of a midair heist of gold bullion? Has it landed but remains hidden? Or was it a terrorist hijacking?

Speculation grows as Australia leads the Indian Ocean search for clues.

Top 10 theories – What may have happened to Flight MH370

1. Fire
A fire may have broken out on the aircraft shortly after last contact was made with air traffic control. The pilot may have made a sharp left turn and attempted to return to a Malaysian airport.
Chris Goodfellow, a Canadian pilot with 20 years’ experience, believes Capt. Zaharie Ahmad Shah was taking a direct route to Palau Langkawi, a 13,000-foot (3,962-meter) airstrip with an approach over water and no real obstacle. If the plane had turned back toward Kuala Lumpur, it would have needed to cross a series of high ridges.
According to him, an electrical fire could explain 10 theories about missing Flight MH370MH370’s failure to communicate.
He said the flight crew was most likely overcome by smoke and the plane continued in the same direction until it ran out of fuel or fire destroyed the control surfaces and it crashed.

2. Decompression
A gradual decompression could also explain MH370’s disappearance.
Central Queensland University aviation expert Ron Bishop said a fire or some other accident could have led to a gradual decompression of the aircraft.
The pilots may have tried to return to Malaysia but passed out after turning the aircraft around and the plane continued flying until it ran out of fuel.

3. Mechanical failure
The plane may have suffered a mechanical failure that required the aircraft to turn back to Malaysia. However, the problem could have become so severe that the pilots lost control of the aircraft and the plane may have continued flying until it ran out of fuel or crashed.

4. Hijacking
A passenger may have gained access to the cockpit and hijacked the plane for a political, psychological or financial reason. If the passenger was armed, they might have threatened the pilots and forced them to fly off course.
Modal Trigger
An instructor at the Tianjiao Special Guard/Security Consultant bodyguard training camp teaches students about close-quarter combat aboard planes.
Photo: Reuters
Otherwise, if the passenger was a trained pilot, they could have taken over the controls.
Malaysia Airlines has said it was “shocked” at a TV report that MH370 co-pilot Fariq Abdul Hamid had allowed two women into the cockpit on a flight in 2011.

5. Terror attack
The plane may have fallen victim to a terrorist attack.
The presence of two passengers traveling on stolen passports fueled early fears of a terror link.
Authorities now believe the two Iranian men were simply illegal migrants, but CIA Director John Brennan has said a terror attack has not been ruled out.
The search area covers a massive region — a northern corridor from the border of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan through northern Thailand and a southern corridor from Indonesia to the southern Indian Ocean — with no potential target or destination pinpointed so far.

6. Pilot involvement
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said on Saturday evidence indicated that the plane’s communication systems were manually switched off and it was deliberately diverted.
This suggests that one or both of the pilots could have been involved in diverting the Beijing-bound flight and fly it toward the Indian Ocean.
Malaysian authorities have raided the homes of Zaharie and Fariq, searching for evidence to link them with its disappearance.
Modal Trigger
An image in support of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 is seen on the United Malays National Organization building in Kuala Lumpur.
Photo: Reuters
Zaharie was reportedly a fanatical supporter of Anwar Ibrahim who was incensed by his sodomy verdict.

7. Pilot suicide
While rare, there have been cases of pilots crashing planes to take their own lives.
In December 1997, a SilkAir Boeing 737 from Jakarta to Singapore plunged into a river in Indonesia with the loss of 104 passengers and crew. US investigators blamed pilot suicide.
A suicide bid “is possible, and if that’s the case, there might not be a lot of debris because the plane would have come down in relative structural integrity,” said Terence Fan, an aviation expert at Singapore Management University.
“The airplane is not meant to float and if the airplane sinks in the water, water will go inside because the door seals are not meant to seal water.”
However, nothing has emerged to suggest any serious psychological problems with either of the pilots who were flying MH370.

8. Plane landed but is hidden
The lack of debris and apparent absence of any data indicating impact has led to speculation that the plane may have landed safely and be hidden in a remote location.
However, the size of the Boeing 777 and the amount of space needed for it to land make it unlikely that this was the flight’s fate, said Greg Waldron, Asia managing editor at industry publication Flightglobal.
“The triple 7 is a very large aircraft that requires a long airport-size runway to land … it’s possible, but I think not probable.”
Modal Trigger
A woman holds a candle during a special prayer for passengers aboard missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370.
Photo: Reuters

9. Cover-up
The apparent slowness to reveal key radar data has led to speculation that countries may know more about the plane’s likely whereabouts, but are unwilling to share due to a perceived security risk.
Jakarta-based independent aviation analyst Gerry Soejatman said that if the aircraft flew north across Asia, following one of two air corridors currently being searched, it would be remarkable if no one had detected it.
“It’s extremely difficult to comprehend that so many countries might have seen it and kept it under wraps.”

10. Theft
Some have speculated the Boeing 777 may have been stolen, either to be used in a later terror attack or because it was carrying a valuable cargo, such as gold.
Malaysia Airlines chief executive Ahmad Jauhari Yahya told reporters the most remarkable cargo being carried on MH370 was 3 to 4 tons of mangosteens.
Experts have also played down the likelihood the plane would have been taken for a terrorist attack, pointing out that there are thousands of business jets and cargo planes that could be captured and used much more easily.

Friday 21 March 2014

Melayu lagi...


Dipetik dari blog Dr Mahathir Mohammad.

1. Sebelum British menakluki negeri-negeri Melayu, sistem pemerintahan adalah Raja berkuasa penuh. Semua perolehan hasil dan cukai adalah milik Raja. Pembiayaan pemerintahan dan pembangunan diperuntukkan oleh Raja.

2. Banyaklah penipuan berlaku semasa cukai dikutip. Yang didapati oleh Raja biasanya sedikit sahaja.

3. Kekurangan kewangan menjadi masalah kepada Raja. Bagi mengatasinya Raja terpaksa jual atau pajak tanah. Dengan itu wilayah negeri-negeri Melayu merosot dan menjadi semakin kecil.

4. Apabila British mengambil alih pemerintahan negeri-negeri Melayu, cukai dipungut dengan lebih tersusun dan dimasukkan ke dalam Perbendaharaan negeri dan persekutuan.

5. Semua perbelanjaan pentadbiran termasuk political pension Raja, gaji dan elaun pegawai dan kakitangan sehingga ke budak pejabat diurus oleh Perbendaharaan. Keperluan untuk berhutang atau jualan tanah tidak lagi timbul.

6. Pegawai pentadbir Melayu yang mengetuai gerakan untuk Kemerdekaan kagum dengan sistem yang diperkenalkan oleh British. Oleh itu, apabila sistem pentadbiran Malaya merdeka dirancang, mereka memilih demokrasi dengan Raja berperlembagaan dan dewan perundangan (Parlimen) yang dipilih oleh rakyat. Pentadbiran di serah kepada sebuah Kabinet yang terdiri dari pemimpin parti yang menang. Raja tidak lagi berkuasa penuh. Namun tandatangan Raja yang memerintah diperlukan bagi mengesahkan undang-undang. Kuasa ini adalah formal kerana Raja dikehendaki terima nasihat daripada Perdana Menteri atau Menteri Besar. Hanya berkenaan perkara yang melibat diri Raja-Raja sahaja yang Raja berperlembagaan berkuasa.

7. Kepimpinan dalam Kerajaan diberi kuasa hanya untuk pentadbiran negara dan bukan untuk diri sendiri. Tetapi budaya Melayu adalah demikian mereka akan akur arahan ketua-ketua tertinggi tanpa mengambil kira samada arahan mengikuti undang-undang atau tidak. Oleh sebab ini, kuasa orang yang berkuasa menjadi mutlak dan ramailah yang mendekati diri dengan yang berkuasa untuk mengguna kuasa itu untuk kepentingan diri. Untuk tujuan ini biasanya orang-orang ini akan membodek dan menawar pemberian sebahagian dari pendapatan mereka dari perniagaan yang mereka dapat hasil pertolongan pihak berkuasa kepada yang berkuasa. Maka berlakulah rasuah oleh yang berkuasa.

8. Kuasa mutlak, sama ada dianugerah oleh undang-undang atau adat budaya keMelayuan amat merbahaya. Ia akan meningkat ke tahap yang tidak dapat diterima oleh rakyat. Sebelum sampai tahap ini, eloklah pihak berkenaan diberitahu. Janganlah orang yang berkuasa mutlak atau tidak melanggar perlembagaan, undang-undang atau dasar-dasar Negara.


Kepada siapa kah gerangan cerita ini dituju...?

Riba and Quran.

This is an interesting article from Syed Akhbar Ali blog.
I have been doubting Islamic Banking and their supposedly riba-free financial system.
Read on....

Riba In The Quran Is Profiteering Not Bank Interest - Part 1
This post is about Islamic banking. I hope all those who are interested will download and keep this post. Bukan apa, because this is 100% opposite of what you have been told about Islamic banking. You will rarely if ever hear this type of views. If you are not interested then its ok.

I hope the Islamic bankers in the country will also download and keep this post. It may save you, the Islamic bankers, from berdosa and committing huge wrongs (perbuatan berdosa) against the people. Because you are always accusing the conventional banks of being haram, silap-silap masuk naar atau api. So better read this carefully. This applies to you too. Kalau silap-silap nanti you too masuk naar atau api.

I received a comment asking about riba in the Quran. Here is the comment:

Anonymous said... Syed, pendapat tuan tentang riba dalam perbankan islam sangat menarik perhatian saya dan mempunyai implikasi yang cukup besar kepada pelanggan perbankan islam seperti saya dan jutaan muslimin/ muslimat seluruh dunia. Jadi saya mohon tuan dapat membuat sebuah huraian di blog ini apa yang di maksudkan riba dalam perbankan islam. Salam.  Thursday, March 20, 2014 5:20:00 AM

Here is my reply. Salam Anon 5:20 AM.

Islamic bankers say that the interest rate (bunga atau faedah) charged by the conventional banks should be called riba. The Islamic bankers say that this 'bank interest' is therefore haram.

Of course riba is haram. But bank interest is not riba and therefore it cannot be haram. For quite a few reasons.

Before we go any further, the Islamic banks also charge interest ('bunga atau faedah'). However they camouflage their "interest rates" under different names. Instead of calling it 'interest' (bunga atau faedah) they call it 'profit rate'. In practise it is still the same. So using their logic the 'bank Islam' is also haram. Plus they are hypocrite or munafik.

Worse still the Islamic banks are often more expensive than the conventional banks or the Jewish banks on Wall Street or London. From the comments that I have received in this Blog, too many Muslims in Malaysia have lost their houses, lost money and have also been bankrupted by the Islamic banks.

So from a practical point of view the so called 'Islamic bank' is often much worse than the conventional banks in oppressing the people or cheating the people of their money. If they oppress the people, this immediately makes their Islamic banking haram.

In my view the Islamic bankers are confused because they do not read ALL the verses in the Quran that deal with business, loan (lending money, yes lah there is a verse in the Quran about lending money) and a just economic system.

Their first mistake is when the Islamic bankers say that there is no such thing as "lending money" or "making a monetary loan" in Islamic banking.  I dont know where they got this illogical idea? Even the Stone Age man would have known about borrowing and lending. Every civilisation in the world knows about lending and borrowing, especially lending and borrowing money.

And here is a verse in the Quran that clearly describes lending and getting back MONEY. Note that the word dinar is clearly used here.

Surah 3:75  "Some followers of the scripture can be trusted with a whole lot (qinthaarin), and they will repay it back to you. Others among them cannot be trusted with a single dinar; they will not repay you unless you keep after them. That is because they say, "We do not have to be honest when dealing with the gentiles!" Thus, they attribute lies to Allah, knowingly."

Since the word 'dinar' is mentioned, this verse refers to money. Dinar is usually associated with golden coinage. This verse talks about lending money or dinars to the people of the book and then getting them to pay it back to you. This is obviously a loan.

So to say that there are no money loans or financial loans in Islamic banking contradicts Surah 3:75 above.

The Islamic bankers say that there is no loan in Islamic banking. There is only buying and selling and profit sharing partnerships. But in practise what they do is no diferent from the conventional bankers. They still give you money. If you dont pay they will bankrupt you, lelong your house etc. Apa beza?


To be continued.

Thursday 20 March 2014

The Malays -- Religious supremacy of one race.

"GENERALLY, love and sex seem to be a taboo subject within polite Malay circles. It’s not exactly something you bring up as conversation over dinner.
In fact, even the mention of Valentine’s Day would most probably bring up a salvo of negative responses, especially for Malays who are remotely thinking of partaking in its celebration.
 
On the Net, there’s already the chorus of naysayers warning us to once again ignore Valentine’s Day, a day that has become one of the most commercial and profitable days of the year in the context of the western world. 
From the plethora of postings and remarks online warning Malays, in particular, to stay home and not go on dates on this day makes me wonder if the Malays really are prudes. I’d always thought that it was the British who were prudes. Remember the saying: “No sex please, we’re British”? I think we should now change it to “No sex please, we’re Malays”....


Read more: Love, lust and a few local puritans.


*****************************************************************

I know this post might come a bit late.

This New Straits Times online issue which I have kept aside, in order to give ways to my never ending chores, including focusing on a couple of projects in hand,  re-reading this interesting article written by Anwardi Jamil made me wanna share my opinion too.

This article, if I summarised, basically trying to get to the bottom of the current situation where the Malay muslims are getting more religious; good or  bad -- that depends on how one want to evaluate it.
In general it is a --   'Dont get your ass worked out too much yearly when February comes with your so heavenly, divined Islamic lifestyle telling people not to celebrate the Valentine's Day... And  that the Malays themselves are not a whole lot of pious people to start with...

His statement  in the earlier para--  "The funny thing is, the Malays, from what I have observed in my adult life, are actually preoccupied with sex and love. Really."..and this really made me laughed and wanting to more what this writer has to tell.

Yup, as expected. I like his article.
I mean, THIS is what Im talking about.
This is what I thought so too.
Its like we're sharing the same wavelength so to speak.

Let's put it this way.
Im the same race as this writer.
But I very much want to be subdivided into something else. 
This is an endless conundrum since my younger years. 
And, we always use the word - typical.
Or, if on the political side of it, we have (in Malaysia) the UMNO baru (new) and the "old" UMNO during the 1988 judicial crisis.
Basically they're the same but subscribed to a different way of looking at things.

Now, lets not divert.
Back to the actual story I wanted to share.

Valentine's Day, Islamic authorities and sex.

As Anwardi Jamil mentioned in his early paragraph, 'it's a taboo subject (sex) within polite Malays'
And I must agree with him.
It's a taboo. We (my mom and sisters)  don't talk or discuss about it.

Although I don't really think Im that polite. 
Im far from being politically correct. 
Im blunt, straight forward and say my opinion well besides manifesting it regularly too.

But, yes, it is a very sensitive issue even though I still believe discussing about it with close lady friends; not on the technical aspect of it, but rather on the health and emotional side of it is not a problem at all.

Coming back to Malaysian nowadays.
Just like the controversial Kassim Ahmad claiming that "Islam in Malaysia has been abused through a “priesthood caste” system."....I somehow must agree with him to a certain level.
According to him this priesthood caste did not exist at the time of the Prophet or the four caliphs. They only emerged about 300 years later by appointing themselves as interpreter of religion for Muslims, and the Muslims view their religious leaders like gods and goddesses, that these leaders are seen to be protected from maksum (protected from sin) and must decide on everything about their lives.”...how truthful!

And, not enough of that enigma amongst the Islamic authorities, the Muslim Malays at large are becoming too overly "alim" or pious and sometimes to blind to know between the truth or false, as long as they are able to share all sorts of hadiths on social media (they'll claimed good deeds in spreading the word of Islam plus they believed it could gain them more credits to heaven), or if one can get the free title of Ustaz or Ustazah by donning long tudung or wearing kopiah ; they'll get paid conducting 'ceramah' here and there, or perhaps on a smaller scale for the 'commoners'; they race to organise daily or weekly 'usrah' -- all in oder to broadcast their religious standing among the rest.
And, heck, the things that they routinely talk about are mostly what you can find by reading and researching hadith, and word from companions, or if that is not enough, it will definitely about sex -- this is MUST congratulate one Ustaz (self claimed) Azhar Idrus in particular. 

Who am I to judge?
Yup, I far from being a pious person.
I didn't cover my head and don't intend to become another religiously-stricken woman. But I do read.
And I do view and listened to see and hear what these 'religious people' has to preach about.
All in all -- they are nothing near compared to the realisation and questions answered by the known Peace TV speaker Dr Zakir Naik of India. 

During my teenage years early late 80s and 90s where you can hardly find any tudung clad girl in a school, the scenarios are a total opposite now. I do not frankly know whether this is a good or bad sign.
During those days, almost no news about child rape, and no news about newly born being left to die in the drain, or left at rubbish dump, or at surau or masjid unlike now....

So, what are the clerics doing?
Are you trying to showcase your religious supremacy among one another, giving talk on the telly and at some open field, and gaining followers via facebook and tweeter?

Why bother about those who want to celebrate the Valentine's Day?
Why bother about whatever intimacy they'd manifest to one another, when the actual problem is in the community itself?
A community that loves to feel that they are more better than the other.
A community that has the largest out of wedlock children.
A community that top the throwing and killing of unborn or newly born babies.

If the wrong things about celebrating the Valentine's Day is because as a Muslim one are not allowed to celebrate another religious celebration -- then say so.
But is Valentine's a religious celebration?

And do you, people of the authorities, found a studied that show a lot of out of wedlock babies were born post Valentine's Day?....

What are your basis?
Religiously or morally?




Cartoon source ; Superhanallah tumblr.com









Palin Wonders If Flight 370 ‘Flew Directly to Heaven’


This lady just know how to get into the limelight again...although it might make her sounds terribly dumb. 

Sarah Palin claimed today that Malaysia Flight 370 may have vanished because it mistakenly flew too high and ended up in heaven.
During an appearance on Fox News last night, Sean Hannity asked the former vice-presidential candidate for her thoughts about the aircraft, which has been missing for nearly two weeks. 
The former Alaska governor stunned viewers with an unorthodox new theory that international investigators have so far ignored.
“I see all these smarty pants people on CNN saying that it was terrorism or a fire in the cockpit,” she explained to a bewildered Hannity, “but I don’t hear anyone talking about the God possibility. I mean what if they accidentally flew too high and got stuck in heaven. 
“I’m no expert on international aviation. But I do know that God is up there looking down on us. And everyone knows that once you go to heaven you can’t come back. This would explain why we haven’t found any wreckage in the ocean and why no one saw the plane land.
"The radar had the plane at 45,000 feet, well above its usual cruising altitude. Who knows how much higher they went? 
“Of course the looney liberal media can only imagine secular explanations for this mystery. They would never tell the American public that God might be involved! But I hope the Malaysian authorities and the NTSB take a look at the facts and seriously consider the idea that this flight crossed into Christ’s kingdom and isn't coming back.”

Above the CloudsMalaysia Flight 370 vanished without a trace on March 8 less than two hours into a regularly scheduled flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. After an exhaustive search no sign of the aircraft or its 227 passengers and 12 crew members have been found.
Initial speculation centered on the theory that a sudden explosive decompression destroyed the Boeing 777 over the South China Sea. But a subsequent review of radar and satellite data revealed that shortly after contact was lost the flight made a drastic left turn and continued flying for seven hours. 
The latest information seems to suggest that someone on the plane deliberately shut down its transponder and flew it off course. However, the uncertainty about who may have done so and why has fed a wide range of conspiracy theories involving everything from the singer Shakira to aliens. 
Palin seems to be the first to suggest, however, that there may be a supernatural solution to this puzzle and the bizarre idea proved too much even for the devoutly Catholic Hannity.
“You realize that heaven isn’t an actually in the sky right?” he pleaded. “The concept of heaven is metaphorical. Some people believe it’s in another dimension or in another universe. It’s not something you can just fly into.” 
“Sean, I think it’s incredibly arrogant for us as humble human beings to claim that we know how heaven works,” Palin responded. “How do you know there’s not a door to heaven in the sky between Malaysia and Vietnam?”
Source...

Wednesday 19 March 2014

Honestly?...Be realistic please, and start mourning for MH370.

MH370: Families Of Chinese Passengers Happy With Treatment From MAS

CYBERJAYA, March 19 (Bernama) -- Families of passengers of Malaysia Airlines' (MAS) Flight MH370 from China who are being accommodated at the Hotel Cyberview Resort & Spa, here, are satisfied with the services provided by the airline. 
A representative of the families when approached by reporters said, MAS had done its best in looking after their welfare since their arrival to this country last week.
"MAS looks after us well and monitors us on a 24-hour basis. The airline also fulfils all our requirements here. 
"Various facilities are provided for us such as a static clinic and conference room for us to keep tabs on the latest development in the search for the aircraft," said the representative of the families who declined to be identified.
They were still hoping that their family members who had boarded the MAS Flight MH370 would return safely. 
There are about 30 family members of passengers of Flight MH370 from China who were being accommodated at the hotel.
The mission to search for the MAS Flight MH370 carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew members entered its 12th day, since the aircraft went missing on March 8.
-- BERNAMA
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Honestly?....I'd say just send them home.
No use of waiting in foreign shore when the jetliner supposedly went across the country and somewhere in the Indian Ocean.
Furthermore, these Chinese will definitely play the blaming game every now and then.   

And what is the use of MAS bearing further cost of lodging and feeding them. Not just them, infact. The rest of the Malaysian families staying at the hotel since nearly two weeks ago....what on earth do you wait there for?
I'd definitely ask that if Im a reporter at the press conference. 

Realistically.
Don't you have life?
Don't you have work to do?
If someone dies does it mean we have to mourn and die with them?... 
For how long more?
The government must be realistic. A decision must be done.

Why adding on more red to the already bad financial 2013 report?...
We don't see the Americans or Australian here waiting for answers...which might come or might not at all...

Time to accept reality folks....


Allah is NOT for you.


[Qu'ran 1:1 - English translation]
"In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful."
[Qur'ân 1:1 - Arabic transliteration]
"Bismi-Allahi ar-Rahmani, ar-Raheem"
[Qur'ân 1:1 - Arabic]




[Genesis 1:1 - English Bible - King James Version]
"In the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth . . . "
[Genesis 1:1 - Arabic transliteration]
"Fee al-badi' khalaqa Allahu as-Samaawaat wa al-Ard . . . "
[Genesis 1:1 - Arabic Bible]


While I am not here to judge or condemn the government of Malaysia in asking the Catholic church to not use the word 'Allah' in their publications nor sermon, I can't say that the Muslims in this country; majority being Malays who were born muslim,  or any other race for that matter, are articulate enough to differentiate the two usage in two different religion.

Above, is a picture of  Malaysian Muslims offering a special solat hajat in front of the Istana Kehakiman court while awaiting for verdict to be issued by the Federal Court against the usage of the word (term) 'Allah' at Putrajaya today; and below it, is a an example of the usage of 'Allah' in both Al Quran Kareem and the Holy Bible.

Both bring the meaning of God.
Both are 'Ahlul Kitab' or People of The Book.

Those who have travelled or watch certain channel and documentaries will find that the coptic church; in Egypt for instance engraved the word Allah on their church door and walls. If this is not surprising enough, try watching an Arabic channel, men wearing thobe and shemagh, with hand clasp together -- but the difference were the women -- they are donning a head scarf not totally covering the head and there isn't any barrier to segregate men and women as they do in Islam during prayers.
And these people are not Muslim, even the clothing and language is Arabic.

It is hard to know or differentiate especially when we hailed from a different background and region.

Thus why the reason Malaysian government gave for the ban is very fair.
The Federal Court suspended their verdict on Roman Catholic church appeal to be allowed using the word 'Allah' in their weekly publication ''The Herald''  which had been turned down by the High Court October last year.
The government won the case over public safety, which I reckoned due to this region and it's a non-Arabic speaking country, and 'Allah' refers to the One God Muslims pray to and usage by other religion might jeopardise the akidah or pillars of one muslim.

Special prayers or solat such as this are made when Muslims seek refuge and guidance in needed circumstances. Therefore, pious Muslims, following the tradition of the Prophet (saw) offer optional prayers in times of fear, during the latter part of the night and at other times, and when they need something- in addition to performing the obligatory prayers.

Photo~ BERNAMA

Tuesday 18 March 2014

Malaysia and Qatar.

There are two things that is happening now which involves me indirectly.

One -- the mystery surrounding the missing Malaysian Airlines MH370, which managed to get my birth country in the eye of the world for about a week to date, and the other one, the country where Im currently residing, Qatar, which is in a tight situation after being in some sort of minor political conflicts.

The mystery surrounding the missing jetliner will be nearing its two week checkpoint this Friday. To date, there have been loads of 'might-bes' ... Why I call it might bes...it just because the plane now, might be hijacked, that is what the government telling the public now. Which Im pretty sure, that came after receiving lotsa inputs from very intelligent Intelligence, from big policeman of the world, the United States.

Now, giving hundred and one speculations and theories by every Tom, Dick and Harry and Mary and Mary and Jane too; one cant help but to stop a while and evaluate the whole incidents... mind you, reading too much of it, can also cause you to be paranoid and started to dog back all the things you read about the Illuminati and NWO.

Anyway, until some thing are found -- debris or plane cushions whatever, I still consider this missing jetliner as a 'vanished mysteriously'...I shall not, and would not, put down my hand a surrender to the story told by Malaysian government that the plane had diverted that far and can't be found -- when more than 20 countries helping scouring the ocean and sea.  

Two -- the minor (maybe) political conflicts between Qatar and hie fellow brother left, up and right -- Saudi Arabia, UAE and Bahrain.
Now, I sensed something fishy was going on when a 52 year-old Qatar Petroleum doctor was arrested at Dubai airport in February 2013 and stories linking him to Muslim Brotherhood emerged.

The Emirati authorities initially refused to give any explanation for the prolonged detention of the director of medical services at Qatar Petroleum, however months after his detention, initially was at a secret place, he was recently charged to seven years in prison for “financially and morally supporting” members of the Muslim Brotherhood.

According to the court, the doctor gave money to the families of detained members of the Al Islah group, a banned organisation in the UAE affiliated with the Brotherhood.
Al Jaidah, director of medical services at Qatar Petroleum, has denied these charges, but will have no legal avenue to appeal the decision, his supporters have said.

Here is why I found it fishy when hearing the story of this person's detention -- and this is even before the conflict arises.
It was not understood, at least for me -- why a country, arrest another country's citizen and put him in a secret place and placed him in the jail for that length of time -- just because he gave money to a group that your country deemed 'terrorist'.

But -- aren't you (UAE) supposed to be brothers with your Gulf countries?
And, why Qatar didn't or not known publicly making any comments on this issue. Like as if Qatar is allowing UAE to do what they like to it's citizen?

And now, we know why.
There was a conflict.
Wonder no more the silent of the lamb.
Because the lions are roaring high and loud now.

Saudi Arabia, being the bully as it has been...I have few reason of my saying so; has been asking the Saudis working in Qatar to ditch their job and come home. Few have follow the calling and more are expected to do so gradually.

The lion and his other brothers had early of this month, withdrew their ambassadors from Qatar in the name of “security and stability.” -- Im not sure security from who or what, and stability in what sense...

UAE state news agency WAM reports that the unprecedented decision was made by Saudi Arabia, the big brother. It seems that Jordan offered to help with Kuwait becoming the middle person for the table talk. But, they were told off and not to mind this brotherly fight.

If you read the Arab and their culture since 2000 years  ago, there had always been fighting and killing and disagreement. I have even watched the Emir of Dubai giving an impromptu talk and history walk through prior to their National Day couple of years ago. I remember well how he explained nonchalantly how Qatar and Bahrain leader during the discussion of setting up the GCC years ago, including how and where they held the meetings -- which is quite interesting.

Coming back to the impact as a resident here.
I do hope nothing serious will take place.
Why Qatar not looking alongside with the other GCC brothers, I must find out why.
My theory?
Maybe US is pushing some buttons here.
Knowingly there's US base here.
What is the relation of US and Muslim Brotherhood..., that will be written in another entry.

All in all -- I hope this wont be a start of not a good year for the world.
First quarter hasn't come to its end yet....



Sunday 16 March 2014

MH370 -- Question marks.

Really?
Absurd....not accepted!


How can the Malaysian Airlines MH370 jetliner, which went missing for more than a week was "deliberately diverted and continued flying for more than six hours after severing contact with the ground,"...?

Oh come on....Najib the Prime Minister or whomever involved can at least give some acceptable excuses....
In the latest PC, it was revealed by the Prime Minister the missing jetliner was deliberately diverted. 

With that,  now, instead of focusing on searching for the plane, the search activity will take yet another turn. But this time on land.
Malaysian police have already said they are looking at the psychological state, family life and connections of pilot Zaharie Ahmad Shah, 53, and co-pilot Fariq Abdul Hamid, 27. Both have been described as respectable, community-minded men. 
Both are indirectly suspected to have been involved in a terrorist attempt.

Even one UK tabloid in its news report said 'the Captain is a strong supporter of the ousted and currently jailed opposition de facto leader, Anwar Ibrahim', whom made his last show of support by attending the leader's trial hours before his scheduled flight.

But if you ask me, I'd say most probably failing to get even a single debris or concrete lead after more than a week search, the Malaysian government and after evaluating suggestion from its search counterparts -- agree to come out with that 'excuse'. So at least will give the public, especially the Chinese something to cling on, and that the passengers are still alive.

Somewhere.
And this naturally, anyone would say this lead resulted from  the captain's youtube load showing his flight simulator at home, thus conveniently made him a suspect.
Then I must warn all other captains out there to start dismantling theirs, if any have one at home. Who knows what might happened...
Experts add on saying that whoever disabled the plane's communication systems and then flew the jet must have had a high degree of technical knowledge and flying experience. One possibility they have raised was that one of the pilots wanted to commit suicide, which personally I believe are not acceptable and possible.
MH370 which has made Malaysia as the centre of worldwide news one week ago, departed for an overnight flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing at 12:40 a.m. on March 8. Its communications with civilian air controllers were severed at about 1:20 a.m., and the jet went missing — heralding one of the most puzzling mysteries in modern aviation history.
China, with two-thirds of the plane's passengers were theirs, must has been under pressure to give relatives firm news of the aircraft's fate. Relatives have been expressing irritation and blaming Malaysia for 'foot-dragging' in releasing information about the search.
The nation had during the course of search leaked an information, which later deemed as unreliable.
That is desperation to give some answer, i reckoned. 
It seems now one of the plane's communications systems — the Aircraft and Communications Addressing and Reporting System had been disabled before the aircraft reached the east coast of Malaysia and shortly afterward, someone on board switched off the aircraft's transponder, which communicates with civilian air traffic controllers.
While Najib confirmed that Malaysian air force defence radar picked up traces of the plane turning back westward, crossing over Peninsular Malaysia into the northern stretches of the Strait of Malacca, he did not mentioned why earlier report didn't stated so. It was only mentioned suspected turning. 

To back up his statement that there might be possibility of hijack, he pointed that 'pings' can still be sent to satellites although the aircraft was flying virtually blind to air traffic controllers. 
Now authorities determined that the plane's last communication with a satellite was in one of two possible arcs, or "corridors" — a northern one from northern Thailand through to the border of the Central Asian countries Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, and a southern one from Indonesia to the southern Indian Ocean.
The northern route might theoretically have taken the plane through China, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan — which hosts U.S. military bases — and Central Asia, and it is unclear how it might have gone undetected. The region is also home to extremist Islamist groups, unstable governments and remote, sparsely populated areas.
Nonetheless, come to think of it, what happened to those countries which MH370 'might' attempted entering their air? Don't they have radar capabilities to detect foreign object or planes?
Fourteen countries are involved in the search for the plane, using 43 ships and 58 aircraft.

What is next?



Saturday 15 March 2014

Shutting Down Of Al-Jazeera?

Dubai (AFP) - Saudi Arabia demanded that Qatar shut down Al-Jazeera and two think tanks during a recent meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council, a source close to someone who attended the talks told AFP Friday.
After the reportedly heated March 5 GCC meeting, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates recalled their ambassadors from fellow member Qatar, which they accuse of interfering in their internal affairs and supporting the Muslim Brotherhood.Riyadh demanded the closure of the pan-Arab broadcaster as well as the Brookings Doha Center and the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies, the source said on condition of anonymity.
The source said Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal had demanded three things of Doha -- "to close the (Qatari-owned) Al-Jazeera network, which stirs sedition; close the research centres in Doha, and turn over all outlaws" on its territory.
Doha's foreign minister replied that the demand constituted "interference in Qatar's internal affairs," the same source said.
Gulf officials do not usually comment on closed-door meetings.
Qatar is seen as a supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood and its affiliates across the region, which are banned in most Gulf states.
Saudi Arabia and other Gulf monarchies have long been hostile toward the Brotherhood, fearing that its brand of grass-roots activism and political Islam could undermine their authority.
Saudi Arabia and the other two states accused Doha of giving refuge to opposition figures and of even giving some of them citizenship.
Critics have long accused the influential pan-Arab broadcaster Al-Jazeera of biased coverage in favour of the Brotherhood, and several of its journalists are on trial in Egypt for allegedly supporting the group.
Most Gulf states hailed the Egyptian military's July overthrow of president Mohamed Morsi -- a former senior member of the Muslim Brotherhood -- and pledged billions in aid. Qatar, which had strongly supported him, has seen its influence in Cairo evaporate.
The Gulf Cooperation Council includes Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Oman.
***********************************************************************
.....and I do sincerely hope they will come to a certain understanding and compromise. 


Desert design..


In 1997, D.A.ST. Arteam created Desert Breath, a one-million-square-foot art installation in the expanse of desert near the Red Sea in Egypt. Though since weathered, the artwork still remains today.1997, D.A.ST. Arteam created Desert Breath, a one-million-square-foot art installation in the expanse of desert near the Red Sea in Egypt. Though since weathered, the artwork still remains today.Often, artists create work with a view to immortality; if they In can't live on, perhaps their creations can. Danae Stratou, on the other hand, knows one of her seminal pieces has a death sentence.
In 1997, she joined with industrial designer 
Alexandra Stratou and architect Stella Constantinides to create a breathtaking spiral made up of alternating conical dips and protrusions in the Sahara Desert, near the Egyptian town of El Gouna just off the Red Sea. The project, known as Desert Breath, spreads over one million square feet of sand.While the installation is still visible from the sky, there are marked signs of weathering. A body of water that once acted as the work's center point has since evaporated. The earthen mounds have flattened over time, and cracks can be seen on the overall surface of the piece. For the artists (known collectively as D.A.ST. Arteam), Desert Breath's impending demise is the whole point."Through its slow disintegration, it's become an instrument to measure the passage of time," says Stratou. And as time has gone on, she adds, she finds she enjoys the piece more and more.
"The more time passes, the more it becomes fragile, but it also has developed a more organic relationship with the site. When it was just made, you could feel the connection to the shape, but now, it looks like it wasn't made by human beings at all, and this is something we like a lot."n fact, to many users of Google Earth, the site doesn't look man made. Before knowing what it was, several commenters speculated it was anything from the imprint of an alien spaceship to the gateway to a parallel universe. A recent discussion on the Google Earth forum led to the work's rediscovery, almost 17 years to the day after it was first built.

"It's surprising that so many years later it would get all this attention, but on the other hand, sometimes things find their own moment," Stratou speculates.

"Perhaps people can appreciate this kind of thing more now than they could back then, when they were caught up in making money or being famous. Today, we're in a financial crisis, and perhaps Desert Breath reflects a new humility people feel, or a new need to connect to nature."
D.A.ST. Arteam spent nine months constructing the work, with the help of a local construction crew who donated the tools and manpower to build the site.

"I was totally cut off from Western civilization -- though I found that a positive thing. It was a huge change in the life I had led up until then. I woke up at four every morning and worked on the site through to sunset. There weren't mobile phones back then, so I couldn't even speak to my family in Greece," she recalls.

There were times when it seemed the shelf life for the installation would be cut short. In the early stages of construction, the town of El Gouna experienced the worst floods it had seen in 60 years. Five years after it was completed, the government decided to build a new road that cut through the site.

"We had to go back and negotiate with the governor, who nicely agreed to take the road back a few meters. For me, it just showed that the biggest danger is people. I think people are more likely to destroy it than nature itself."-- CNN