Thinking Aloud

Hi, just to inform my faithful readers that I will not be blogging here any longer.

The new address is uliang.wordpress.com. Now all I have to do is to figure out how to move my old posts to the new one.

Cartoon by Walt Handelsman, Newsday Long Island. He won the 2007 Pulitzer for editorial cartooning. Full list of reciepients here.

From the blog Disquiet, run by lawyer Malik Imtiaz Sawar.

Just remember, we gave the present Government a mandate. Something we are constantly reminded of.

The law requires that the welfare of the children be the paramount consideration. The law also requires that all of us be treated equally. And yet, it would seem that those amongst us charged with the welfare of the nation and its citizens appear to think otherwise.

What justifies tearing a family apart, separating children from their parents? Islam does not. The law does not. How can we even begin to understand the anguish of the father, the mother and the children? How can we even begin to understand that some believe that the law countenances, warrants, such cruelty?

Someone has to be made accountable for this.

MIS

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/65995
Family torn apart over ‘religion’
Yoges Palaniappan
Apr 16, 07 4:26pm

Rubber tapper P Marimuthu’s life changed drastically when seven officers from the Selangor Religious Department (Jais) came to his house in Kampung Baru Tambahan Ulu Yam on April 2.

The father of six was told that his wife of 21 years Raimah Bibi was a Muslim and that she and their children, aged between four and 12, must be placed in a rehabilitation centre.

The couple’s eldest son was staying with an uncle at that time.

Relating his ordeal at a press conference in the Parliament lobby today, the 44-year-old rubber tapper said he had no choice but to let the officers take his family away.

He also claimed that an ‘ustaz’ (religious scholar) had told him to covert to Islam or threatened to charge him for khalwat (close proximity) with Raimah, 40.

Raimah, who returned to help him with the rubber tapping work two days later, told him that Jais had placed the family in the nearby Kampung Melayu Liga Emas.

She purportedly said the villagers, who are predominantly Malays, have been asked to keep an eye on her daily activities and prevent her from meeting outsiders, especially her husband.

Marimuthu said he felt threatened by the villagers’ stares when he attempted to visit his wife and children.

“My wife was so afraid that she refused to come out and talk to me. I had no choice but to leave that village,” he said.

According to him, Raimah managed to sneak their children over to his house several times without anybody’s knowledge.

“We will be together for some time and then she’ll leave again to the other house,” he said.

Another heart-rendering saga

Marimuthu also does not know if his wife was a practising Muslim before they got married. Since then, he said, the two of them have been practising Hindus.

“We got married in a temple, according to Hindu rituals. All our kids were brought up as Hindus,” he said.

He said Raimah, who was adopted by an Indian Muslim family, cannot remember her adopted mother and her late adopted father had approved of their relationship.

According to Marimuthu, his wife’s MyKad had stated her name as Raimah Bibi binti Noordin and her religion as Islam.

The couple did not apply to the National Registration Department (NRD) to have this corrected either.

Meanwhile, Parliamentary Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang, who accompanied Marimuthu, said the authorities learnt about Raimah’s ‘religious status’ when the couple enrolled their children into a school and copies of their identity cards were submitted to the education department.

“It is a simple mistake that has brought a great tragedy to the family,” he said, adding that the matter must be checked with the authorities in order for the family to be reunited.

“This is the latest in heart-rendering family sagas like in the case of R Subashini where human rights are completely ignored. Such incidents should be stopped,” he stressed.

Posted by Malik Imtiaz Sarwar at 6:28 AM

Of late, cases like these have become common. But notice something: it always always involves Hindus and not just any Hindu, particularly those who cannot defend themselves. The poor, those without economic clout.

This is not an issue of religion or faith. It is oppression. Imagine this, Malaysians are being oppressed by their own fellow Malaysians!

Who can read this and not feel his blood boil.

This article must certainly be one of the most heartbreaking articles I have ever read.

Pearls before Breakfast, by Gene Weingarten.

Busy, busy as a bee, and what has being busy ever done for us?

Dunno where this thought popped out of my head.

” As Christians, we are citizens of every country, and yet of none…”

I wish that I had taken a module on film during my undergrad days. I would have enjoyed 300 better.

Just a thought.

The end of the Holy week was a rather relaxing one. I enjoyed it. Good Friday service in the morning. God gave Pastor Shih Ming exactly the words I needed to hear (not what I wanted to hear…). Headed down to Sim Lim to get and brand new graphics card and a new game. Spent the rest of the day enjoying the fruits of my hard earned money.

Saturday spent cleaning up the house and doing another round of consultation with my student. Wanted to go swimming but the weather was not obliging. Slept early.

Come Sunday. Easter worship service, then home cooked lunch, a swim and then dinner. And I finally cleaned my room. Aaah, nicely relaxed and recharged.

Was thinking how much God has blessed me. It seems almost criminal to say that my life is pretty much relaxed. Amongst my peers, (don’t mean to boast) I think I have the least stress free mind. But is it an Asian thing to define one’s sense of importance by being busy? I have the nagging suspicion that this is so, and if it is then I guess I’m the least Asian amongst my peers.

If Mahathirism was characterized by excessiveness, the Abdullah administration would be chatacterized by idiocy and primitivism.

It just had to come. Deputy Energy, Water and Communications Minister Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor just had to say it. He suggested that all locally (Malaysian) hosted blogs will have to be registered with the government.

Well, first it was prepaid card users. Now blogs. And what’s the rationale? After all that is said and done, it boils down to one thing: To prevent commentors and bloggers from criticizing the government anonymously.

Anyone who has the miniscule understanding of human character will recognize this as a plain bully mentality. The might of the government being used for really petty reasons. 

We don’t even have to talk about freedom of speech and freedom from the fear of intimidation. Why? Because the good blogs which bring legitimate criticisms against the government are not anonymous anyway, and the anonymous ones are so downright shitty lousy that intelligent readers simply ignore them. 

Two issues here: The slippery slope that the government is taking (not to mention the patriarchal and kampung mentality). The other is the failure of 50 years of independance to produce a country that is confident with democracy. There is nothing western about criticizing one’s government: It is the whole point of democracy. Bottom to up governance, the citizen taking responsibility for his country. Not lapdogs for the crumbs falling off from BN’s table, but a people whom the government fears. 

Honestly speaking, I’m quite sick and tired of simple minded comments made by ministers who still live in the 1960’s and 70’s. It is just so hard to believe how these people actually get elected.  

Anyways, links are to some of international papers (taken from jeffooi.com ) reporting on this issue. The Sydney Morning Herald and The Jerusalem Post.

Pastor Shih Ming said something pretty significant this morning during Good Friday service.

"…if we can trust Him with our eternity, why can’t we trust Him for our daily needs…" or something to that effect. I can’t remember the exact wording.

It was really a timely word from the Lord, I think. All this while, I have been running on my own steam. Thinking about what I will do after I graduate, how much I will earn after I graduate. Will I be making a living out of the skills that I have or not. Who I will marry in the end…loads and loads of things to worry about. And the net result…more worries.

I haven’t been trusting.

But what stuck me even more was that it is possible that I don’t trust Him because I don’t really know what it really means to trust Him for my eternity.

I guess it is the issue of eternity. Do I really care about eternity? Do I really believe that heaven makes a difference on earth today, as I live out my life daily?

Tough questions to ponder over the weekend.  

I think I’m not crazy enough to be a mathematician. Haha.

But one thing is for sure, studying Analysis (both integration and functional analysis) has really humbled me. Gosh, I wish I had paid more attention to analysis during undergraduate days.  

In the order of priority

1. Pirates of the Carribean 3. Because everyone wants to know what happens to Jack Sparrow, and the fact that Chow Yuen Fatt gets to say, " Welcome to Singapore!" What’s with this obsession with Singapore!!??

2. Shrek the Third. Seems that the lady ogre is pregnant…

3. Spiderman 3. Peter Parker is getting nightmares and the Green Goblin returns.

4. The Simpsons movie. " Douch!!"

5. Stardust. Simply because I am a sucker for fantasy flicks.

This year is a good year for the movies.  

I really enjoyed that evening with Siaw May and Venice, (it’s a person’s name okay, not the gondola city).

Phantom of the Opera with dazzling with the sets, costumes and music. For 2 1/2 hours of sheer granduer, I was taken away by the clever stage management, use of lights and dry ice to create a very *real* illusion.

(Loved the part when the Phantom brings Christine to his little hideout, there are six candles, three on either side that gently move in from the wings while the ‘boat’ is paddling on, thus creating a perspective illusion that we (the audience) are entering the cave.)

My favourite scene was of course the masquerade ball. Spetacular lighting combined with the colourful costumes (and dance) just took my breath away.

Wow….what a night of colour and song.  

Woah man, don’t mind my little grandchildren doing this favour for me….(courtesy of theStar online.)

CHINESE cemeteries are selling paper replicas of Viagra pills to be burned for dead relatives as a wish for satisfying sex in the afterlife, state media reported yesterday. 

Customers are snapping up the paper Viagra, as well as images of condoms and heavily made-up bar girls ahead of the annual Tombsweeping Festival on April 5, the Nanjing Morning News reported. 

Chinese have traditionally burned fake money in honour of dead relatives during the festival, when families clean their ancestors’ tombs and graves. 

They believe the wealth will accrue to their ancestors in the afterlife. 

But China’s move towards a more consumer-oriented society has seen new offerings including paper televisions, mobile phones, cars and other luxury items. 

A commentary in the Beijing Morning Post yesterday called for a crackdown on the sex-related “vice” offerings. 

However, it said efforts by authorities to halt the sales had been unsuccessful due to high demand. – AFP 

But then again, I Christian lah, dun believe in this sort of thing. 

Durians….

They are just so addictive.

Because of my naivete and ignorance, I was ‘forced’ to buy 4 ‘em spiky ones. I wanted to get only 2, but the vendor opened four and before I knew it, had to hand over dough for it.

Ok, I consider it a very expensive dinner. I’m so full and there’s one more to go. Maybe I’ll let Adwin have it.

But there were good, although not spetacularly so. 

I’m gonna bathe now, smelling of durians all over.  

The have started to renovate the old Ginza Plaza. Damn noisy man…

Sigh, what a way to wake up on a Saturday morning.  

Over the years, I’ve come to realize that I am not the type of person who likes to get into debates.

Wait…let me take back these words. I do. I debate with my mother, father. I tease and argue with my sister. I’ve had deep discussions with John (Tey), Raj, Lydia, Faith and others etc…(I hardly talk with my brother, which is quite a shame). Heck, I’ve even debated my EXCO chairman, Paul who is a practising lawyer now.  (Pretty brave of me yah..lolz).

But one thing I don’t debate is religion. I have had several talks with Pacey (for instance) on Christianity. But I just left it at that. I think I’ve never really shared the gospel on a one-to-one basis before in my entire life. I think the reason is simply that it makes me uncomfortable.

I think a lot of people would come to my side and cast an understanding nod.

But, though I would appreciate the empathy, I cannot agree with the reasoning behind it.

Simply put, faith comes from the hearing of the word. I can’t find it in the Bible that true faith grows on a person, or is gradually realized from being moved by good deeds (although this would help out alot.) I disagree with St. Francis of Assisi. The Gospel must nessecarily  be preached with words.   

Look at the evidence: Great revivals trace back to great preaching by great preachers. John Sung, Wesley, Spurgeon, Moody and the like. The Apostles preached, Paul certaily did and Jesus himself took every opportunity to preach (and discuss) the good news. Mother Teresa may have inspired many-only to more good works and not to belief in Christ per se.

Words are risky indeed. They reveal us as bigots, sometimes rightly so. It is a flawed tool, but a redeemed one. Simply put, it takes a lot of guts to say to a friend or stranger, " Repent of your sins and believe in Christ that you may be saved." And saved from what? Injustice, alienation and oppression? There is a part here that is being missed out and sadly underemphasized: Saved from future-but certain-judgement.

Sometimes the gospel is preached hurtfully, sometimes with arrogance, sometimes intolerantly and most often that not, demeaningly. But because the message is so precious and so urgeant, words are by far the fastest and most efficient way of getting the message across. I’ve heard it countless times, " Show don’t tell!" The truth of the matter is " Show AND TELL!"  

I guess it is time for me to make a choice and commitment. To share the gospel with at least ( I know modest lar, but must start small first right) one person by the end of this year.  

Over at the mrbrownshow.com, Mr. Brown interviewed MP Baey Yam Keng.

Now, how about our local (Malaysian) bloggers and podcasters conduct the same-interviewing BN politicians and Opposition alike.

But of course, are the MPs and politicians are willing to be interviewed by an independant (and novel) media in the first place.  

Can’t believe that in a twinkling of an eye, one year has passed. You must be thinking…kinda late for New Year sentimental mush rite…But we recieved the reminder to renew our tenancy agreement with our landlord.

Hmm, I guess I’ll take this opportunity to ask myself some questions, like…Have I grown? As a person? Spiritually? Mathematically?

I realized I’ve become less reflective of late. Less reflective posts, and more infrequent posting as well. I guess it’s time for me to really reevalute what I hope to achieve by blogging, why do I want to blog and why blogging is worth my time.

March…huh. Just the month March.  

I was looking through the past year paper for Graduate Analysis II.

It is undoable.

I have a strong suspicion that these ‘exam questions’ are actually some technical results used in an academic paper.

Sigh… 

Was at PCM group last night. During one of the rounds of sharing, Kelvin(a group member) shared about his experiences as a very young christian during his primary days.

He used the phrase, "….dancing to the tune of Christ.."

Somehow it sounded so right and so beautiful that I had to put it up here. It’s really who we are isn’t it? Dancers, to the tune of Christ.

It’s kinda inconvenient for me to get my weekly groceries now. The Shop ‘n’ Save at Ginza has just relocated and the entire mall is closing down.

I was chatting with my barber yesterday, and according to him Giant is taking over the place. But of course, the entire place needs to be renovated and that process would take about like 5-6 months?

I definately will be cooking less already.  

This marks the third day of the New Year. Been gradually reducing myself to a parasite that lives on chocolate alone. Indulging in such debauchery makes me a little guilty. But then again, it’s the holidays. Hee..

After the usual round of visiting(Bai Neen), and my grandmother’s open house, things slowly return to normal on the third day. Brother is going down to Seremban to resume the second half of his course: the clinical phase. Wish him all the best.

And as for me, I’ll be returning to kiasuland this saturday (I think!) and back to work again. Gosh do I miss mathematical work.

Learning to give is hard, but I dare venture that learning to recieve is harder.

One becomes super modest or a brazen leech. Either way, it takes the joy out of giving.

Who gives a heck care of the commercialization during V’dae. Roses may be overpriced, but they are for my special one, and she’s the only one that matters during this special day.

Disclaimer: This post has nothing to do with the status of my love life k. Last time I checked, I’m still available…  

Fell sick today. Groan. Spent most of the day sleeping and finishing up the remnants of my Functional Analysis homework.

An aside, I’ll be heading home for CNY on Thursday nite.  

But maybe falling sick was good in a way- Forcing me to take a good rest. Real rest. Anyways, feeling better now. I’m sure I can make it to school tomorrow.  

This is the stuff great novels are made off. What makes you a Muslim? What makes you a Buddhist? Blood or upbringing?

If Zulhaidi Omar succeeds in changing his religious status, what are its implications for naturally born Muslims (i.e. Malay children with Malay parents)? Conversely, what if a mixup occurs in the hospital, and now this time, non-Muslim parents bring up a Malay child?

Or look at the bigger picture, what then is this case implication for the Malay identity? 

Read on for context.  

Going his own way since he was 13

JOHOR BARU: At 13, he was supporting himself, washing dishes after school to pay for his books and rented room.  

Zulhaidi Omar, 29, said he had never been tempted to take the easy way out by dropping out of school or straying into a life of crime. Instead, he worked at restaurants until midnight and washed cars to put himself through secondary school.  

Zulhaidi: Wanted to taste a life of independence

Now a sales executive with a diploma in Business Administration, Zulhaidi said he was neither abused nor disowned by his family but he wanted to be independent. 

Unknown to him, he had been swapped at birth during a mix-up at the hospital in Batu Pahat. 

“By the time I was in primary school, I knew I was different from the rest of my family members as I could tell the difference between their features and my obviously Chinese appearance,” he said at a press conference. 

After a chance meeting that reunited him with his biological family eight years ago, Zulhaidi now wants to change his name to a Chinese one.  

Zulhaidi is hoping the authorities would allow him to state his religion as Buddhism on his MyKad. 

Bandar Baru Tampoi MCA branch chairman Michael Tay said Zulhaidi was never given the chance to choose his own religion because of a mistake made at birth. 

“Under the Federal Constitution, everybody is allowed the freedom to choose his own religion, but Zulhaidi was never given that chance. 

“We will try the diplomatic method first through negotiations with state officials and the hospital where he was born. If that fails, then we will have to seek legal recourse,” he said, adding that might even include a suit against the hospital for negligence. 

State religious officials were unavailable for comment. 

When I was young, my family would head down to my grandmother’s place every weekend. Besides meeting up with my cousins, I would also help myself to the extensive video collection that my aunt had. Compared to now, I realized that they don’t make movies like they used to.

(Lame nostalgic post…or not)

The don’t make action films like Commando (Arnold Swarzenegger….yes he was an action hero before being governor.)  

They don’t make James Bond like Octopussy or  A View to a Kill and the like. (Casino Royale is excellent cinema, but I don’t see 9 year olds identifying with Daniel Craig’s cool poker performance.)

They don’t make sci-fi like Empire Strikes Back. ("Luke…I am your father" must be the most recognizable film scene in movie history, not to mentioned the most parodied ) 

…

It’s different nowadays. Somehow, cinema takes itself too seriously nowadays. Serious cinema is now about making a social statement, a political statement, a religous statement. They may be many contemporary movies like Citizen Kane, but they are hard to identify with. They are many political thrillers, suspense and movies criticizing the Bush government, but no real satire like Dr Strangeglove:  How I stop worrying and learnt to love the Bomb.

I guess its true as they say, the fall of the Wall changed everything.  

This issue of loan sharking has been in and on the news for such a long time. But this piece of news just broke something inside me.

Victimization.

Imagine the poor borrower, already harassed by the loan shark, now (if the cops get what they want) persecuted by the police?! Don’t they have enough to deal with already?

This is legalism at its worst. To get at what I’m trying to point at: Try substituting rape for loan shark harrasment and rape victim for borrower. It’s the same thing. But many don’t realize it because those who are rich and well off, just look down condescendingly at people who do.

We all know why people borrow money from loan sharks: The ease of getting the loan, desperation (from gambling, addiction, business losses). Often, the root problem is greed. But these are weaknesses of human nature-and it goes against the spirit of lawmaking to punish people for things like this.

More laws does not make a civil society. Laws do not deter people from breaking them, it just means there is more work for the police to do.

Better ways would be protection against the loan sharks, microcredit arrangement, financial counselling and even gambling addiction counselling if it applies. From what I read in the article, it would seem that the cops believe that making a better society means making more laws. Oh the fallacy in that sort of thinking!

Enough said. In short, I’m looking for society to be softer on the borrower and harsher on the lender, as it should be.  

…starts with a single step.

My supervisor has finally given me my first task. For those who die, die must know what I’m talking about:

" Calculate the K-types for the theta lift of U(p,q) to U(r,s)."

Treading excitedly and nervously.  

It’s high time I got myself something Christian to read. And this sounds like a great book to get.

(Hehe…sorry, got the pic from Amazon.com)

But anyways, here’s a review of the book from the internetmonk.