Malaysian National Excuse

This is Malaysia - and you should know -
NATIONAL EXCUSE FOR HAIR LOSS: Ajinomoto (please don't sue me, it's what the majority says)

NATIONAL INSTANT FOOD: Maggi Mee

NATIONAL BREAKFAST: Nasi Lemak

NATIONAL LUNCH: Nasi Ayam

NATIONAL SUPPER: Roti Canai & Teh Tarik

NATIONAL EXCUSE FOR BEING LATE: Traffic Jam

NATIONAL CONDOM: None. Most Malaysians still feel embarrassed buying condoms. So they rushed into a 7-11, hurriedly grab the nearest pack, any pack, pay and leave before the cashier can even blink an eye.

NATIONAL FRUIT FOR INDUCING MENSTRUATION: Pineapple

NATIONAL APHRODISIAC DRINK: Stout. Many Malaysian men swear by it. But then after a few pints they start swearing at everything...

NATIONAL FAKE ILLNESS FOR GETTING MC (MEN): Food Poisoning

NATIONAL FAKE ILLNESS FOR GETTING MC (WOMEN): Menstrual Pain

NATIONAL EXCUSES GIVEN BY WOMEN WHEN REFUSING SEX: Headache, kids not asleep, maid not asleep, mother-in-law around, early appointment, food not digested yet, aircond not cold enough, aircond too cold, nail polish not dry yet, forgot to take the pill, sleepy, stomach cramps, period, haven't remove make-up, haven't shower, no water supply, going to watch "Santa Barbara ", depress, no mood, etc...

NATIONAL EXCUSES GIVEN BY MEN WHEN REFUSING SEX: None. Malaysian men never refuse sex.

NATIONAL CURE FOR DIARRHOEA: Cap Kaki Tiga. Down one bottle with warm water and you are all "dried up".

NATIONAL CURE FOR HEADACHES: Panadol. The "cure for all". If it fails we have another secret weapon - Tiger Balm.

NATIONAL CURE FOR NAUSEA: Moh Fah Kor.

NATIONAL CURE FOR DIZZINESS: Minyak Angin Cap Kapak.

NATIONAL CAUSE OF DIZZINESS (FOR YUPPIES): Happy Hours.

NATIONAL INSTANT CURE FOR DIZZINESS (FOR YUPPIES): The sight of a police road block.

NATIONAL RICE COOKER: NATIONAL brand Rice Cooker

NATIONAL RUBBISH DUMP: Anywhere. As long as it is not your house.

NATIONAL MOST MIS-PRONOUNCED NAME: Carrefour. Sometimes even pronounced as Carry 4!

Won't label this blog entry as a joke as this is what Malaysians would say when you ask them the same questions.
Tags: Malaysian National Excuse, Excuse

Attitude is Everything

John is the kind of guy you love to hate. He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, "If I were any better, I would be twins!"

He was a natural motivator.

If an employee was having a bad day, John was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation. Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up and asked him, "I don't get it!

You can't be a positive person all of the time How do you do it?"

He replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or ... you can choose to be in a bad mood I choose to be in a good mood." Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or...I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or... I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life.

"Yeah, right, it's not that easy," I protested.

"Yes, it is," he said. "Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people affect your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. The bottom line: It's your choice how you live your life."

I reflected on what he said. Soon hereafter, I left the Tower Industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but I often thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it.

Several years later, I heard that he was involved in a serious accident, falling some 60 feet from a communications tower. After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, he was released from the hospital with rods placed in his back. I saw him about six months after the accident.

When I asked him how he was, he replied, "If I were any better, I'd be twins. Wanna see my scars?" I declined to see his wounds, but I did ask him what had gone through his mind as the accident took place.

"The first thing that went through my mind was the well-being of my soon-to-be born daughter," he replied. "Then, as I lay on the ground, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live or...I could choose to die. I chose to live."

"Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?" I asked He continued, "..the paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the ER and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read 'he's a dead man'. I knew I needed to take action."

"What did you do?" I asked.

"Well, there was a big burly nurse shouting questions at me," said John. "She asked if I was allergic to anything 'Yes, I replied.' The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, 'Gravity'"

Over their laughter, I told them, "I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead." He lived, thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude... I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully.

Attitude, after all, is everything.
Tags: Attitude is Everything, Attitude, Inspiration, Motivator

Tackling Corruption in Malaysia

Our Malaysia government doesn't recognise the Corruption Perception Index ("CPI") issued by Transparency International because the index was bias, the datas used are not acceptable, the people doing such index don't live in Malaysia and unable to give a fair assessment / perception ....... blah blah blah.

But when you compare the CPI ranking with the per capita income, somehow it matches. Malaysia is ranked at no. 43 and the per capita income is estimated to be US$4,970 (RM16,000)in year 2005. It's year 2008 today and according to the government's statistical records, sadly to say, our per capita income is only around US$7,300 (RM23,500).

No wonder I can't get high increment as it has to match the per capita income.

I heard that with the Pakatan Rakyat (opposition alliance) taking over the state government of Penang, corruption has reduced. A malay property developer said that she has saved RM700,000 just on upon approval by the state authorities recently. Asked whether it was savings on fees or materials but actual fact was that she doesn't have to pay this or that person anymore. Even a gesture payment would be refused now. What a change!

As long as corruption is still widely accepted / practised, Malaysia will stay where they are now. And if you do participate by giving bribes to the police, don't blame them for the insecurity feeling that you are facing now because you were part of the problem.
Tags: Corruption, Malaysia, Transparency International, Corruption Perception Index, Bribe, Per Capita Income, Pakatan Rakyat

Cult Leader Has Better Plans for Himself

A cult group in Russia which has predicted the world to end in May 2008 has seen 14 of their members leaving the cave they created and are staying in a house owned by their cult leader under the watchful eyes of the relevant authorities.

Their pathetic cult leader, Pavel Kuznetsov, didn't even stay in the cave with his members and had been undergoing psychiatric treatment lately. Gone cuckoo?

Should be but then he was still smart enough not to stay in the cave which has no luxuries. He told the authorities that "God had different tasks for him".

Wherelse those members who left the cave as they were cut off from the rest of the group due to a cave-in told the authorities that the reason they left the cave was - "God had given them a signal to leave". The cave-in was the signal?? Hehehehe.....

Reading: Russia doomsday cult prays for sign to leave bunker - Reuters
Tags: Cult, Doomsday, Russia, Pavel Kuznetsov

Robert Mugabe Has Business in Malaysia??

I came across this article in BBC News/Africa entitled "Zimbabwe bloggers react to delays" and towards the end of the article it mentioned the following paragraphs:-

This much criticised Zimbabwean President has HUGE business interests in Malaysia????????? Can the Malaysian government explain on this report? Or the Malaysian government will tell us this again - we don't know!

Hopefully I can dig more about this issue.

Reading: Mugabe on the run in Malaysia after Zimbabwe polls? - Shagadelica
Reading: Gift to Mugabe - DAP Malaysia
Tags: Zimbabwean President, Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe

Zimbabwean Bloggers

Wanting to hear the real or actual news in Zimbabwe? Looks like the scenario is the same in Zimbabwe as in Malaysia. Mainstream media is controlled by the ruling party and oppositions have no say and no way of getting their message across to the nation generally. So, Malaysia = Zimbabwe?

Zimbabwe held its latest so-called democratic general election on Sunday and after six days, the Election Commission couldn't release the full results. It's so tense in Zimbabwe now. Can you imagine that after inserting your ballot paper into the ballot box, you don't even know the results after six full days!!!!!

Read the following Zimbabwean related blogs to learn more about the Zimbabwean internal issues. You only hear the truth in such blogs (wonder why):-

This is Zimbabwe - Sokwanele - Zvakwana is a peoples' movement, embracing supporters of all pro-democratic political parties, civic organizations and institutions in Zimbabwe

Kubatana Blogs - an online community of Zimbabwean activists

Zimbabwean Pundit - the world as seen from the eyes of a Zimbabwean

Cry Beloved Zimbabwe - a Zimbabwean born writer, entrepreneur and political activist

The Bearded Man - a former Zimbabwean policeman but residing in England now. Convicted that the more people that hear about the devastating rule in Zimbabwe and the real problems therein, the better!

Enough is Enough - Seeing Zimbabwe from a different angle

Mugabe Makaipa - Retired doc, living a life of leisure in the rural Philippines

David Coltart - MDC Senator, has been a human rights lawyer in Zimbabwe since his return to the country in 1983. He was first elected to represent the Bulawayo South House of Assembly constituency in June 2000, and was rel-elected in March 2005. In March 2008 he was elected as a Senator to represent the Khumalo Senatorial constituency in Bulawayo

Related posts:-
* Nigerian Bloggers
* Kenyan Bloggers
Tags: Nigerian Bloggers, Kenyan Bloggers, Zimbabwean Bloggers, Zimbabwe, Zimbabwean, Africa

The Kite Runner

Entered a competition and won myself four cinema tickets to watch an interesting movie called The Kite Runner which relates to two young boys who were good friends, separated due to the war in Afghanistan.
Screening for my cinema tickets would be on 11 April 2008 at One Utama's Golden Screen Cinemas.

Tags: The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini, Afghanistan, One Utama, Golden Screen Cinemas