Poverty's hideous face.

Good evening Malaysia,

While you have probably just been out enjoying yourself, enjoying the latest film, been to the latest clubs, and reading the latest magazines, I hope you find it in you to spare a moment for those less fortunate.

Of course, there are many that are less fortunate than we are, but I speak tonight specifically about those living in poverty, those who do not enjoy the comforts that we often take for granted. The things like basic healthcare, security, food and nourishment, indeed, even the simpler things like sleeping with the certainty of tomorrow is something not all of us enjoy.

Indeed, who shall speak for those less fortunate? Shall we leave the unspoken voices to be those of politicians, of global institutions, of musicians and playwrights? Shall we turn a blind eye to the children in the streets, to the migrant workers, to the prostitutes, to the sick with HIV/AIDS and those living in squatter houses?

Shall we deny them the humanity that we have so liberally taken on as absolute truths, that we parade in everyday? How many, how many of us stake a claim in being part of humanity's loving hand and yet do nothing when that hand demands the best of us?

This will not change your lives. The siren call for compassion rings out everyday, and we, o citizens of the world, have learnt to block this call, to ignore that siren and focus on ourselves as we indulge in the many opiates of our urban lifestyle. Yet, even so, can we really ignore that call, for isn't to ignore that which demands compassion of us, to ignore that very element that makes us human?

And to you, my brothers and sisters who sleep with holes in their roofs, to you who sleep in suffering tonight, I bear no gifts, I bear no houses on green hills for you, I bear no cure or medicine; I only give you this promise, that while I still live on this earth, while I breathe, and while I can earn enough to tend to my family and loved ones, I will not forget you. Someday soon, I promise I will come back for you.

Truly yours,
K

Feminism is starting to piss me off.

That's right it is. I've met a few feminists in my life, and always I approach them with an open mind, a sort of protest against the majority of chauvinistic men who deem women to be below them.

Now look; I completely agree that there are women who are being discriminated against, and that there is a serious lack of respect for women, especially in Malaysia. Take for example, Umno Assembly Speaker Badruddin Amiruddin. Now, that's an idiot. Seriously, you'd have to have an IQ of 30 to be a politician and spew out sexist comments. Especially in a country where women constitute half of the voters in this country.

But the few feminists I've met, they're not so much interested in equality, but rather more of getting back at men. And really, gender discrimination is very rarely the center of their attention. Why? Because a lot of them want to get back at men through gender discrimination. Once, at a film screening at an NGO, I sat through a discussion which involved this feminist who said that "You're only a sexist if you have a dick."

That's probably the most retarded statement I've heard.

And seriously, to the feminists who place 'rape' as the basis of their ideologies: Seriously, give it a rest. I really don't get why it is incredibly sexist to say "women are bad drivers" but it is only fair to say that "men are all rapists/indecent ogglers". How about a big fuck off? Not every person with a dick is a goddamn rapist!

Turn the tables around: Is it fair to say that every person with a vagina is a gold digging man manipulator? No retards. Just because you have the capability of committing rape or seducing old men to get their money, doesn't automatically make you a criminal.

There's a 'woman's room' in the place of learning that I go to, and I think it's about as useful as a piece of rock. I've been informed that (among other ridiculous reasons) it's to 'help propagate the woman's movement for equality'.

Here's my contention: Must it only be people with vaginas? Can't a person with a dick be a feminist or help women gain equality? What about transvestites? Do people who have undergone the operation be allowed in? How about before the sex change?

Ridiculous reason 2) To protect them from the indecent gazing of other men.

You know, I talked about this with a friend the other day, and she said something very profound. Muslims wear the headscarves so they're protected from the indecent gazing of men. And yet, that practice has been deemed sexist and patriarchal. But having a room just for women, that's okay.

Absolute nonsense.

If I wanted to stroll down my place of learning wearing a clown costume, I would expect people to stare at me. Really, I would expect the whispers and the stares and perhaps the occasional ninja kicking and tripping. So, now I feel harassed, and I demand a room for people who want to dress as clowns. If you want to have a women's room, that's fine, but my contention is this; why can't I have my own clown room? I reserve my right to dress however I want, but I don't want the stares that come with it! Fair enough?

The fact is, that the world doesn't operate on idealist terms people. If you live in a place where criminal activity is high, you'd be a bloody idiot to not place bolts on your doors and windows. If you dress indecently and walk through the back alleys alone in the early hours of the morning, then, good lord, you're a bloody idiot as well.

I pre-empt the argument that what I just did was place blame on the victim rather than on criminal. (You chauvinistic pig!)

Look, would you put the entirety of the blame of a robbery on the robber who decided to rob a guy who decided to count 100, 000 in cash out in the open? Or the bank company who decided to deliver their cash with a guy on a bike and a bucket?

My point is, we should all live in the idealistic world where people follow rules and are kind to each other. But we don't. We have tons of assholes and stupid people. That's why we adopt a reward-you-if-you're-smart system. No one's stopping you from not buying basic security measures for your house - but you'll have a higher chance of being robbed. No one's stopping you from dressing however you want - but you'll have to deal with the stares. Don't ask for a room everytime you feel violated. Or if you do, then let other people ask for their rooms too.

Update: A person from the Womans Candidacy Initiative came to give a talk today. I find it funny that they think there should be a 30% affirmative action quota for women representation in parliament, where there is no law banning their participation in the first place.

Shall we have this extremely qualified candidate to represent us in parliament? Oh damn. He has a dick. Sorry, buddy maybe next time.

'Damai Malaysia' sounds like bullshit Malaysia.

I really can't stand it when someone tries to insult my intelligence. I mean, I'm not even so much as pissed if someone's trying to feed me bullshit; because if they manage to pull it off, well hey, hats off to you pal, guess you got me on that one. But when someone tries to piece together a 10 second thought process with no contemplation on how to lie to me, that pisses me off.

Like this little bullshit which I'm going to tell you in a minute.

In case you haven't been reading the news, (and I don't blame you if you haven't, the mainstream media sells you shit) there have been 2 massive street demonstrations in KL within the last several months, Bersih, a coalition of NGO's and political parties calling for electoral reforms, and a HINDRAF (Hindu Rights Action Force) rally for which they filed a class action lawsuit against the United Kingdom for 4 trillion US dollars (2 million dollars for 1.5 million Indians in Malaysia). The crowd estimates for both rallies were around 40 000 people.

Anyway, I was just browsing through NST before I came across this piece of news right here. Apparently more than "400 NGO organisations came to protest the recent street demonstrations".

"Damai Malaysia is a coalition of 395 NGOs representing 1.5 million Malay-sians who have declared their stand against street demonstrations."

For the record, "Malaysians" is one word dumbass. Way to make a typo that insinuates racism Ranjeetha Pakiam.

Anyway, it says here that it's the 'silent majority' that's speaking out for Malaysia. Right. Silent majority. Because the overwhelming amount of 350 people...

"A few uniformed policemen were seen monitoring the crowd of more than 350."

...beats 40 000 people any day.

But let's not stray from the point. Just because 350 people were there it doesn't mean that it's not representing a lot of people. In fact, NST claims that it represents the "silent majority" of 1.5 million Malaysians.

Wow. I wonder how they get that number.




I mean, seriously, I tried to verify who exactly are these silent 1.5 million people, and you'd think that they'd have the initiative to at least make a website if they really cared. I mean, Bersih has its own Website, AND Wikipedia entry.

Now when I type 'Damai Malaysia' online, I find...

Now, one might wonder, why is it that the 'noisy minority' such as HINDRAF and Bersih have references online, while 'Damai Malaysia' scores a Swiss Garden Golf Resort? I mean if there are indeed 1.5 million Malaysians behind Damai Malaysia, then you'd think at least one of them would be a cyber geek who's compelled enough to make a site or write something about it online.




Answer: It's all a big pile of bullcrap.

Say hello to propaganda ladies and gentlemen.

But still, let me reserve the tiniest bit of humility and think that I may have, up to this point, been wrong about everything I've said.

Their argument still doesn't make sense.

"He (The guy who signs the ISA warrants) also spoke on the negative impact of street demonstrations on retail businesses and the tourism industry, which had suffered losses after cancellation of hotel rooms and tour bookings."

Right.

And his statement is backed by Bukit Bintang Hotels and Traders Association adviser Senator Datuk Dr Lee Chong Meng (his picture coming up) who said that business are down 20% due to street demonstrations.

Okay.

So our biggest problem now, is that we can't go shopping.

Yes, it's not that our elections are rigged. It's not that we have these phantom voters, some of who have decided to come back from the land of the dead, and instead of meeting their loved ones and passing on the message from the beyond, decide instead to go vote for their favourite ruling party and then go back to their graves.

Neither is it that we have incriminating videos of set up judiciary officials who're blatantly disobeying rules and regulations that are walking unpunished.

Nope.

Our biggest problem is that we cannot go shopping. You can fuck around with the elections, you can mess with judicial posts, but never ever touch the shopping. God forbid you ever mess with someone's Gucci bag or Topman's shirt sale. It's blasphemy.

Pfft, it's such a weak argument.

And this has nothing to do with what the guy said, but I just wanted to point out I think he looks familiar.

I'm such an ass.