Merdeka dan terus merdeka...

Selamat menyambut hari kemerdekaan kepada semua. 52 tahun merupakan usia yang muda bagi sebuah negara. Banyak lagi liku, denai beronak yang perlu diharungi. Jauh lagi perjalanan yang perlu ditempuhi. Persoalan kepala lembu dan hukuman sebat dek arak, hanyalah ujian kecil wahai bangsaku.

Jangan mudah terkeliru, tidak perlu menjadi haru-biru. Pandang sejenak ke belakang jawapannya ada di situ, tidak perlu kepala digaru. Tepuk dada tanyakan selera, arah mana yang hendak dituju. Cita-cita apa yang diburu, tanyakan diri selalu. Tidak guna mencari seteru, hanya akan ketemu jalan yang buntu. Usah bicara hingga keliru, tampak jelas di dada tiada ilmu.

Kita mahu menjadi satu, kita dambakan bangsa yang bersatu. Mulakan langkah untuk berpadu, benihnya perlu disemai di batas yang satu.

Putrajaya bid not over, says BenRazak

BN-pool boss BenRazak insists his side's Premier Putrajaya League title challenge is still alive despite their 7-1 defeat by PR-Villa at Permatang Pasir.

The Dacings have lost seven out of their first eight league games and BenRazak said: "We now know that we have to go to the people and win.

"Everything could change if we do that, our confidence will improve.

"This squad is virtually the same as last season so I believe it is good enough to mount a title challenge."

BN-foo.. oops, my bad ..pool were beaten by on the opening weekend of the season but they appeared to have put that defeat behind them when they recovered to nearly overpower PR-Villa at Manek Urai.

PR-Villa had other ideas and an own-goal by Lucas-Haizat and a Curties-Man header in first-half injury-time put Brahim Ole'Nuar's side in charge at the break.

BNMedia Torres pulled one goal back after some heavy Dacings pressure in the second half but BN-pool conceded a rash penalty soon afterwards to allow Hassan Ashley to make sure of the visitors' victory from the spot.

BenNajib added: "We were not playing well, and we were up against a team who are excellent on the counter-attack.

"Their goalkeeper Mahfuz Friedel made some great saves, but when that happens we just have to make more chances.

"We will have to sit down and analyse every player now, and make sure we do the right things in our next match. But our senior players must take more responsibility."

BenRazak feels individual errors were behind his side's defeat and felt they came at "crucial times" (though some of his players and trainers might not agree, they are blaming a segment of the fans and the wind respectively instead).

"In the first 20 minutes we created plenty of chances and played well," he explained. "Then we conceded the own goal and started to make more mistakes.

"We have lost and we know we have to improve. I felt we had a chance when BNMedia Torres scored, but the penalty finished it. It was a clear penalty."

In contrast, Ole'Nuar was proud of his players after seeing them pick up their seventh points of the season.

"That was a terrific effort from my team," Ole'Nuar said. "At 6-1 we were in reasonable command of the game, although you are never in command facing the might of BN-pool.

"But when they scored we got a penalty straight away, a clean penalty on the rashness of Haizat, and we were back with our two-goal lead.

"That gave us confidence, discipline and shape to our team and we deserved to win."

The players felt Ole'Nuar was key to his side's victory, with him making several superb tactical moves to deny the side he played for from 1982 to 1998.

They added: "Ole'Nuar was outstanding. He rolled back the years. He was fantastic against his old club.

"He will be delighted with himself, and rightly so, and we are delighted with him.

"It was a fantastic performance from the whole side and we fully deserved the victory."

from BBC Sport

Original Story

Title bid not over, says Benitez

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez insists his side's Premier League title challenge is still alive despite their 3-1 defeat by Aston Villa at Anfield.

The Reds have lost two out of their first three league games and Benitez said: "We now know that we have to go to Bolton on Saturday and win.

"Everything could change if we do that, our confidence will improve

more here

Tak Lompat, tak rasuah...

..tapi kalau lompat, manusia itulah yang paling bermasalah.

Selama 1 tahun 5 bulan, langsung tidak kedengaran sebarang bunyi berkaitan permasalahan wakil rakyat Lunas tetapi sebaik sahaja dia melompat, tu dia! Macam-macam masalah kronik tuan empunya badan timbul. Sampaikan ada yang cuba menjustifikasikan keadaan dengan menyamakan apa yang berlaku seumpama satu proses "pembersihan diri" bagi parti politik berkenaan. Amboi! Kalau tak lompat, masih lagi di dalam, sampai ke sudahlah diri tak dibersihkan, parti bergelumang kekotoran jawabnya. Ye tak?

Tu belum lagi dia melompat masuk ke parti lawan, baru isytiharkan dirinya sebagai wakil bebas. Kalau lompat masuk parti lawan, macam manalah agaknya akan digembar-gemburkan bagaimana kroniknya masalah brader tu agaknya.

Cuba bawa bertenang, tak perlu kalut, macam brader-brader kita yang ini dan yang ini. Cool, bukan?

"Mr. Lim, like that oso can ah?"

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said as far as the state government was concerned, the matter ended when some of the villagers sought help from the Barisan Nasional.

“We have done our part and as far as we are concerned, the matter ends there.

read more Penang washes its hands off Kg Buah Pala issue

Why halting all assistance just because they went to see the Barisan people? After all aren't you the one at the very earliest possible opportunity, seeing that things were getting out of hand, immediately called for the federal government intervention? Isn't that Federal Government consists of Barisan people? So why the fuss if the villagers now decided to exhaust all other avenues available to them (e.g. going to the BN for assistance, by taking the advantage of the Penang N11 By-E fiesta and all), especially now when Federal Court yesterday turned down their desperate bid to salvage their kampung.

“Since they have gone to see the Barisan, the matter ends there,” he told reporters at a Ramadan aid presentation to mosques at Politeknik Seberang Prai here on Thursday.

Why sounded so sour lor? Mr. Lim, you should have taken the cue from one of your assemblymen here, on how to still give a helping hand notwithstanding the obvious ideological differences between parties involved. See how beautiful it is, the solicitor-client relationship I mean. Why can't there be a State Government-Rakyat relationship as pristine as that in the case of Kpg Buah Pala folks and the Penang state government? Don't shut them off just because they are now tend to lean more towards the other side.

After all, aren't they still the rakyat of this State which you are now is da' big chief? Are they not the subjects of your rule? Shouldn't their interests and rights be protected at all times without qualifications and limitations? Hey, isn't that what the CAT government is all about? I'm pretty sure that many lines akin to "serving the rakyat come what may" were in your general election manifestos somewhere, en route to 8th March 08 victories. So why the cuci tangan thingy?

Now, what about those villagers that did not go to BN for help but still hanging on to the belief that DAP Penang state government is that government of the people, by the people and for the people, as what was promised before? Can abandon them just like that meh? Not a good example you know, especially to Matang Pasiaq folks going out to vote for a representative in your government come 25th August.

My hope is that the state government won't be making a habit out of this. Always on the lookout for exit routes whenever they face problems that involved folks not on the same frequency as theirs, politically. Many promises, zero result, that is how many perceived the current state government as. You don't believe me? Just go for a haircut anywhere from Gelugor to Bayan Baru and you will here all sort of grouses with regard to your government shortcomings especially when it involves promises made prior to the last GE. All empty promises they will say. I know because I just had my haircut yesterday and had my fair share of "mengumpat sebelum ramadan" with the barber and some of his clients on issues with regard to 2,3 of your assemblymen around here and the quality of "service" they're giving to the people, yesterday afternoon. But no worries, no need for alarm. That was only a session of gossiping between the little people of penang, just like folks at Kpg Buah Pala. Small matters. Feel free to make more promises. Just make sure that you are able fulfill them, that's all. Shortchanging the people is never a good trait in a government. If you are really interested in helping the penangites, don't back off just because they are flying or looking like they are going to fly other flags than the rocket.

"Olang melah ka, olang ijau ka, olang bilu ka, kita pun suma olang penang lor!"

Ramadan Mubarak 1430H

Alhamdulillah, kita semua dipanjangkan usia untuk bertemu sekali lagi dengan Ramadan al-Mubarak kali ini.

Kepada semua pengunjung blog ini yang beragama Islam dan semua yang mengenali saya, izinkan saya mengucapkan selamat menjalani ibadah puasa.

Semoga ramadan kita semua kali ini jauh lebih hebat daripada yang sebelum-sebelumnya.

PRK N11: Terlebih Kilas

Bagi saya yang baru sahaja bertatih lebih kurang sedekad bertungkus lumus memastikan saya tidak menghadapi apa-apa masalah (di bawah peruntukan Akta Profesion Undang-Undang 1976 dan lain-lain yang berkaitan dengannya) di dalam mengharungi kerjaya saya sebagai seorang peguam, pandangan sinis dan usaha meringankan bebanan politik yang kini ditanggung oleh calon BN bagi PRK N11 oleh TPM adalah tidak begitu manis didengar. Kenyataan beliau yang menyamakan denda Majlis Peguam akibat aduan terhadap salahlaku profesional seorang Peguam sama sahaja seperti saman kesalahan meletak kenderaan, hanyalah akan memburukkan lagi keadaan.

Kebanyakan Peguam tidak memandang enteng perihal aduan berkaitan tindak-tanduk profesional mereka, tidak kira samada ianya kesalahan kecil mahupun yang besar. Kebanyakan peguam, berusaha sedaya upaya untuk mengelak perkara sedemikian. Kerjaya kepeguaman memerlukan dedikasi khusus dan integriti yang tinggi. Sekurang-kurangya itulah yang dikhabarkan oleh Master saya 13 tahun yang lalu, semasa saya memulakan alam chambering saya.

Kebanyakan peguam juga, setahu saya, tidak akan memandang remeh sekiranya mereka dihadapkan apatah lagi jika didenda oleh Lembaga Disiplin Majlis Peguam. Ini bukan soal Majlis Peguam tetapi lebih kepada soal jatidiri sendiri. Soal berkenaan keperluan untuk seseorang sentiasa mempunyai "clear conscience". Ianya lebih kepada soal kesedaran moral dan aspek etika perlakuan diri sesorang peguam itu sendiri. Tetapi itu mungkin hanya terpakai kepada kebanyakan mereka yang bergelar atau pernah bergelar peguam. Ianya kini mungkin tidak lagi terpakai kepada semua.

(Nasihat saya) Jangan terlebih kilas, takut nanti yang dikejar tak dapat, yang dikendong pula habis keciciran.

Tetapi percayalah jika sesuatu itu dilakukan dengan teliti, penuh azam, kesungguhan dan keikhlasan; tanpa perlu terlebih mengilas kiri dan ke kanan, Burnley pun boleh kalahkan Manchester United!

Kadang-kadang ada baiknya kita diam sejenak dari berterusan berceloteh yang bukan-bukan.

How to right a wrong?

They say "No rest for the wicked"? How true. Why the extra troubles? Only God knows.

Some people they never learn. Lending the words of Counting Crows, I guess they just wanna be big, big stars! But they don't know how, they don't know why.

It takes strong will to get to the heart of matters, some people are just not cut out for it. They keep going on a circle, spinning round and round until they themselves got dizzy.

How do you right a wrong? Pray tell.

Call me old fashion, but I can't see any right in that.

Rule of Politics

Jeff Ooi: ‘I never insulted Islam and have withdrawn statement’

And I quote from an old but very popular BBC sitcom "Yes, Minister", "The first rule of politics: never believe anything until it's been officially denied." Hopefully that is not the case here in our Jeff versus JIM saga.

The Star Online, inter-alia, quoted Jeff Ooi as follows;

“The parties which publicly label me as anti-Islam stand the risk of being sued as I will protect my integrity,” he added.

Asked if he would apologise as demanded by JIM, Ooi merely repeated: “I withdraw my statement”.

Will he sue YB Zulkifli Nordin? Interesting, no? By the way YB Jeff, a retraction of the statement does not mean you are absolved from all possible blame in making such statement. You may not mean it but it does not take purpose and intention in a statement like that to offend the people, especially if you are a politician and a public figure. There is a secret in order to avoid situation like that in future, if I may say so, and it is call tact. But I know that you know that too YB, being a politician, the Chief of Staff of Penang state government and all.

To offer a bare denial together with (an oversimplify) statement retraction, not apologizing and further threatened to sue as if trying to sweep everything under the carpet in one desperate move, is not the level of finesse one would expect from a politician, a leader and public figure such as yourself in a delicate situation such as this. Forgive me YB for repeating, it is all about being tactful.

Malaysia Boleh! Yes, we can!

• What issue? "There is no issue. Once we meet up by the end of the week, there will be no issue."

• What 1Malaysia? 3Pakatan Rakyat is better!

• Closed door squabbling is the way to go. Enough with the public outbursts. We can mend all of our clumsy ways based on our (only) common ground, the common hatred towards a common enemy.

• Street Demonstrations are healthy. Voicing out our grievances via demos without permits are the best way to cultivate real democracy in the country. Problems will be solved.

• Dissatisfaction is best made known through street demos. The busier the streets, the better it gets. Closed door stadiums won't do. Bustling Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman leading to Istana Negara on a Saturday afternoon in KL is equivalent to the paved ways of Hyde Park leading to designated Speakers Corner area near Marble Arch in London.

• Good to see that Malays are uniting for street demos. Malay unity other than for the purpose of demos is to be considered as an act of racism.

• Malaysians (or used to be Malaysians) fighting tooth and nail to obtain other citizenship are no less patriotic. They are just changing citizenship for greener pastures, that's all.
  

• We promote the true Malaysia. We promote equality, tolerance and understanding. But if it is Islamic, it's terrorism. We love PAS by the way.
  

• Law enforcement agencies are all "Malay institutions". Duh! Whatever that means..
  

• Anything Malay is UMNO. You talked about Malay's aspiration and hope, you're championing UMNO's corrupt ways.

• Let's grilled the witnesses called by the coroner as if you are defending someone in criminal trials, after all that's what inquest is for. The voters are watching. Now is the time to give them their money's worth.
  

• It's a cluster house. It is not a double storey terrace house. We can prove this. We don't want to talk anymore! We won't barge even for an inch, we will stand our ground. We have been oppressed, help us!

• We are one nation, one race. Stop the discrimination. Do not segregate. By the way, we object to Satu Sekolah Untuk Semua, it is bad for nation building.
  

• We want total freedom of the press! Oh, oh! But not you Utusan Malaysia, you can't write that!

• Freedom of expression is the basic fundamental right of any citizen. We will fight for your right to speak up, err but not you Ridhuan Tee.

• 14 deaths, thousands infected, no problem!
  

Only in Malaysia where making a point is the same as missing it completely. CHAMPION!

MACC at it again: No protest this time around?

Won't folks in Terengganu come out in full force and cry foul over the following arrest?

KUALA TERENGGANU: A Terengganu state assemblyman was arrested Sunday by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for allegedly accepting a RM20,000 bribe.

The assemblyman is alleged to have accepted the money as an inducement to secure a landscape project in Kuala Lumpur for a company.

It is learnt that he was picked up at about 9.30am in Kijal, south of here, when he was with a friend and that RM5,000 was found on him.

read more The Star Online's MACC nabs T'ganu rep for allegedly taking RM20,000 bribe

Why not, since it is after all the "notorious" MACC that is behind the arrest? No jumping up and down like what they did in Selangor? UMNO people deserve some kind of protection and sympathy from the "evil" MACC too. Hey, it could well be another "conspiracy" and blatant "abuse of power" by you know who ...you never know ;-)

How lah people?

Mabuk, amuk & merajuk

Saya memang cukup minat dengan lagu-lagu M.Nasir. Bagi saya, melodi dan liriknya memang hebat. Tak tahu sebab apa, hari ini saya begitu asyik melayan album pertamanya selepas zaman Kembara berjudul "Solo", terutamanya lagu "Biarkan Luncai Terjun". Dari dalam tablet saya, hingga ke dalam kereta sampailah ke dalam PDA saya, berulang kali lagu ini diputarkan. Anak-anak pun sampai naik hairan, mana pergi lagu-lagu baru Rob Thomas, Daughtry yang selalu dia mainkan tu, mana pergi lagu-lagu rock kapak Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Dio, Rainbow yang dia suka sangat pasang dalam kereta, sampaikan kita nak dengar Taylor Swift dengan Miley Cyrus pun susah. Mana pergi CD MP3 rojak Aerosmith, Def Leppard, Queen, Dire Straits, Sting dia? Apa hal pula abah hari ni? Lama sudah dia tak layan lagu M. Nasir/Kembara sampai macam ni, lepas ni demam M. Nasir lah pulak kita 2, 3 minggu dalam kereta dia ni jawabnya. Haha..

Apa yang berhantu sangat lagu "Biarkan Luncai Terjun" ini? ..mungkin liriknya kot..

Kita, kita bukanlah mereka
Mereka, mereka bukanlah kita
Haruskah kita jadi mereka
Mereka jadi kita
Revolusi atau hanya nafsi-nafsi

Kita kata kita melamun
Kita kata kita jakun
Kuno pasif dan irihati
Malas pula boleh dibeli
Suka berpolitik

Kau dan aku, kita
Berdiri di persimpangan
Kau di di persimpangan
Kau dan aku, kita
Dalam kemelut dan kekalutan

Biarkan luncai terjun
Dengan labu-labunya
Biarkan biarkan

Mabuk, amuk dan merajuk
Itukah cogankata kita
Dan diwarisi dari Pak Tua
Dari Pak Tua

*Lagu/Lirik: Biarkan Luncai Terjun - 1988 (M.Nasir)

Kepada yang belum pernah mendengar lagu ini, mungkin ini masanya untuk mencari album awal M.Nasir sebagai penyanyi solo, selepas dia hebat berkarya secara berkumpulan sebagai Kembara. Nak dengar lagu di atas? Boleh didengar sedikit di sini. Lagi elok pergi beli terus di kedai besok. Saya syorkan juga kesemua lagu-lagunya yang lain dalam album tersebut di antaranya seperti Seloka Jegela Melayu, Sayembara Hidup dan Demi Masa. Lagu-lagu hitsnya yang lain dalam album ini saya tak perlu ceritalah, ramai mungkin tahu lagu lagu Mustika, Rajawali Terbang Tinggi dan yang lainnya. Dengar melodi dan amati bait-bait liriknya. Memang terangkat beb!

Sekali lagi, sama-sama kali ini " ..mabuk, amuk dan merajuk..." Itukah cogankata kita? Ini yang kita waris dari Pak Tua?