Why Are You Messing With Sudan Now?

Just when I'm arranging to go to Sudan again at month end (should be leaving KL on the night of 27 July), the International Criminal Court ("ICC") based in The Hague has to initiate a prosecution against the President of Sudan, Omar Al-Bashir. The ICC is trying to indite the president for alleged war crimes in the Darfur region, west Sudan.

Few days back, the Sudanese citizens held a major rally showing support for their president. I mean, who wouldn't, if your nation's head has been implicated in a crime that was submitted overseas. What if the current Malaysian Prime Minister has been indicted, will you go out to show your support in a mega rally? hehehehehehehe

Please lah, don't heat up the situation in Sudan. It's already hot enough being situated in the Sahara desert region. You'll never what will happen if such rally goes out of hand.

One fine day in year 2006 (can't remember which day/month), I had just finished a meeting in Kharotum's central business district area. Called my local Sudanese colleague and he said he would come around the corner in fifteen minutes time to pick me up. In the car, was another Malaysian colleague of mine too.

Just when we got into our car and started moving forward, we could see many people running towards our direction and all cars were diverted into this road turning it into one way street even though it was a dual way street. Both of us, Malaysians, told our Sudanese fella to reverse the car immediately. A pick-up truck trying to move fast in front of us just knocked his way through and bang into the left hand side of our car. More cars were forcing their way through. Many scratches by now. We had to think of the human beings behind us too ....... what is this man!!!!

We can't reverse fast enough as there were a few cars behind us too. As reversing was real slow, we told our local colleague to force the car to the side and turn the other way round to flow along with the traffic now. When we managed to squeeze to the side, this local fella wanted to be a superhero instead. He told us that he wanted to see or asked what was happening. We scolded and shouted at him. I told him if you were to leave the car now, I will certainly take over the wheel and drive off without you.

Heart was pumping real fast and anxious to get out from that spot but this local fella had other ideas. Myyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy ........ really gave him a piece of my mind (guessed that my other colleague who may read this blog posting would agree with me).

Only then he came to his senses (if he has one in the first place at that point of time). What was happening at that time was that traffic from two other major roads turned into our road and this local fella wanted to see what was happening. Seeing waves of panicked people would have triggered your mind that everyone was running away from danger in which we found out that a commotion happened between certain parties with the local armies and shots were heard (how true about the shots we don't know but we are not staying to listen to it).

Flowing along with the 'forced' traffic, we drove into another part of the city. We diverted far away from the city centre and went into the outskirt in order to reach the other end of the city to go back to our office. While still stucked in the traffic with everybody trying to move out of the city, we called back to our office to inform the rest not to leave the office.

It took us more than an hour to reach our safe spot. Considered safe in our office as the rest were there ............ hehehehe. I lived to write this story for you to read and I'm going back there again. Anyway, this incident was nothing compared to a major revolt when emergency ruling was enforced for one or two days in August 2005. Unfortunately, I was there too.

Reading: Sudanese rally to support leader - BBC News/Africa
Reading: AU warning over Sudan 'charges' - BBC News/Africa
Tags: Sudan, AU, African Union, ICC, International Criminal Court, Omar Al-Bashir, War Crimes

Survey Course Using a Doughnut

The method employed by this professor was very profound. Find time to read this as it will change your mindset on certain aspect of getting things done when it seems to fail most of the time. Very unique way of lecturing. Would you believe if I tell you that you may have tears in your eyes towards the end of this article. Not pulling your leg but mine did.
-------------------------------------

There was a certain Professor of Religion named Dr. Christensen, a studious man who taught at a small college in the western United States. Dr. Christensen taught the required survey course in Christianity at this particular institution. Every student was required to take this course in his freshman year, regardless of his or her major.

Although Dr. Christensen tried hard to communicate the essence of the gospel in his class, he found that most of his students looked upon the course as nothing but required drudgery. Despite his best efforts, most students refused to take Christianity seriously.

This year, Dr. Christensen had a special student named Steve. Steve was only a freshman, but was studying with the intent of going onto seminary for the ministry. Steve was popular, he was well liked, and he was an imposing physical specimen. He was now the starting center on the school football team, and was the best student in the professor's class.

One day, Dr. Christensen asked Steve to stay after class so he could talk with him. "How many push-ups can you do?" Steve said, "I do about 200 every night." "200? That's pretty good, Steve," Dr. Christensen said. "Do you think you could do 300?" Steve replied, "I don't know.... I've never done 300 at a time." "Do you think you could?" again asked Dr. Christensen. "Well, I can try," said Steve.

"Can you do 300 in sets of 10? I have a class project in mind and I need you to do about 300 push-ups in sets of ten for this to work. Can you do it? I need you to tell me you can do it," said the professor. Steve said, "Well... I think I can...yeah, I can do it." Dr. Christensen said, "Good! I need you to do this on Friday. Let me explain what I have in mind."

Friday came and Steve got to class early and sat in the front of the room. When class started, the professor pulled out a big box of donuts. No, these weren't the normal kinds of donuts, they were the BIG, extra fancy kind, with cream centers and frosting swirls. Everyone was pretty excited it was Friday, the last class of the year, and they were going to get an early start on the weekend with a party in Dr. Christensen's class.

Dr. Christensen went to the first girl in the first row and asked, "Cynthia, do you want to have one of these donuts?" Cynthia said, "Yes." Dr. Christensen then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Cynthia can have a donut?" "Sure." Steve jumped
down from his desk to do a quick ten. Then Steve again sat in his desk. Dr.
Christensen put a donut on Cynthia's desk.

Dr. Christensen then went to Joe, the next person, and asked, "Joe, do you want a donut?" Joe said, "Yes." Dr. Christensen asked, "Steve would you do ten push-ups so Joe can have a donut?" Steve did ten push-ups!, Joe got a donut.

And so it went, down the first aisle, Steve did ten push-ups for every person before they got their donut. Walking down the second aisle, Dr. Christensen came to Scott. Scott was on the basketball team, and in as good condition as Steve. He was very popular and never lacking for female companionship.

When the professor asked, "Scott do you want a donut?" Scott's reply was, "Well, can I do my own push-ups?" Dr. Christensen said, "No, Steve has to do them." Then Scott said, "Well, I don't want one then." Dr. Christensen shrugged and then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Scott can have a donut he doesn't want?" With perfect obedience Steve started to do ten push-ups. Scott said, "HEY! I said I didn't want one!"

Dr. Christensen said, "Look! this is my classroom, my class, my desks, and these are my donuts. Just leave it on the desk if you don't want it." And he put a donut on Scott's desk. Now by this time, Steve had begun to slow down a little. He just stayed on the floor between sets because it took too much effort to be getting up and down . You could start to see a little perspiration coming out around his brow.

Dr. Christensen started down the third row. Now the students were beginning to get a little angry. Dr. Christensen asked Jenny, "Jenny, do you want a donut?" Sternly, Jenny said, "No." Then Dr. Christensen asked Steve, "Steve, would you do ten more push-ups so Jenny can have a donut that she doesn't want?" Steve did ten .... Jenny got a donut.

By now, a growing sense of uneasiness filled the room. The students were beginning to say "No" and there were all these uneaten donuts on the desks. Steve also had to really put forth a lot of extra effort to get these push-ups done for each donut. There began to be a small pool of sweat on the floor beneath his face, his arms and brow were beginning to get red because of the physical effort involved.

Dr. Christensen asked Robert, who was the most vocal unbeliever in the class, to watch Steve do each push up to make sure he did the full ten push-ups in a set because he couldn't bear to watch all of Steve's work for all of those uneaten donuts. He sent Robert over to where Steve was so Robert could count the set and watch Steve closely.

Dr. Christensen started down the fourth row. During his class, however, some students from other classes had wandered in and sat down on the steps along the radiators that ran down the sides of the room. When the professor realized this, he did a quick count and saw that
now there were 34 students in the room. He started to worry if Steve would be able to make it.

Dr. Christensen went on to the next person and the next and the next. Near the end of that row, Steve was really having a rough time. He was taking a lot more time to complete each set. Steve asked Dr. Christensen, "Do I have to make my nose touch on each one?" Dr. Christensen thought for a moment, "Well, they're your push-ups. You are in charge now. You can do them any way that you want."

And Dr. Christensen went on. A few moments later, Jason, a recent transfer student, came to the room and was about to come in when all the students yelled in one voice, "NO! Don't come in! Stay out!" Jason didn't know what was going on. Steve picked up his head and said, "No, let him come." Professor Christensen said, "You realize that if Jason comes in you will have to do ten push-ups for him?" Steve said, "Yes, let him come in. Give him a donut."

Dr. Christensen said, "Okay, Steve, I'll let you get Jason's out of the way right now. Jason, do you want a donut?" Jason, new to the room, hardly knew what was going on. "Yes," he said, "give me a donut." "Steve, will you do ten push-ups so that Jason can have a donut?" Steve did ten push-ups very slowly and with great effort. Jason, bewildered, was handed a donut and sat down.

Dr. Christensen finished the fourth row, and then started on those visitors seated by the heaters. Steve's arms were now shaking with each push-up in a struggle to lift himself against the force of gravity. By this time sweat was profusely dropping off of his face, there was no sound except his heavy breathing; there was not a dry eye in the room.

The very last two students in the room were two young women, both cheerleaders, and very popular. Dr. Christensen went to Linda, the second to last, and asked, "Linda, do you want a donut?"; Linda said,very sadly, "No, thank you." Professor Christensen quietly asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Linda can have a donut she doesn't want?"

Grunting from the effort, Steve did ten very slow push-ups for Linda. Then Dr. Christensen turned to the last girl, Susan. "Susan, do you want a donut?" Susan, with tears flowing down her face, began to cry. "Dr. Christensen, why can't I help him?" Dr. Christensen, with tears of his own, said, "No, Steve has to do it alone. I have given him this task, and he is in charge of seeing that everyone has an opportunity for a donut whether they want it or not.

When I decided to have a party this last day of class, I looked at my grade book. Steve here is the only student with a perfect grade. Everyone else has failed a test, skipped class, or offered me inferior work. Steve told me that in football practice, when a player messes up he must do push-ups. I told Steve that none of you could come to my party unless he paid the price by doing your push ups. He and I made a deal for your sakes.""Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Susan can have a donut?"

As Steve very slowly finished his last push-up, with the understanding that he had accomplished all that was required of him, having done 350 push-ups, his arms buckled beneath him and he fell to the floor.

Dr. Christensen turned to the room and said. "And so it was, that our Savior, Jesus Christ, on the cross, plead to the Father, 'Into Thy hands I commend My spirit.' With the understanding that He had done everything that was required of Him, He yielded up His life. And like
some of those in this room, many of us leave the gift on the desk, uneaten."

Two students helped Steve up off the floor and to a seat, physically exhausted, but wearing a thin smile. "Well done, good and faithful servant," said the professor, adding "Not all sermons are preached in words."

Turning to his class, the professor said, "My wish is that you might understand and fully comprehend all the riches of grace and mercy that have been given to you through the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He spared not only His Begotten Son, but gave Him up for us all, for the whole Church, now and forever.

Whether or not we choose to accept His gift to us, the price has been paid." "Wouldn't you be foolish and ungrateful to leave it lying on the desk?"
Tags: Professor of Religion, Doughnut, Donut, Christianity, Jesus Christ

Malaysia Revival Songwriting Competition 2008

Journey to the Malaysia Revival Songwriting Competition 2008!A Great Opportunity To Win A Recording Contract.
A Great Opportunity To Be Discovered By Head Hunters of Music Industry.
A Great Stepping Stone To Your Music Career.If you or any your friends who would be interested, please fill in and submit the Registration Form. Read the Rules and Regulations prior to submitting your form. Please note that the closing date for submission is on 30 August 2008. The short listed songs and names will be announced in Starmaker's website (the organiser) by 30 September 2008.

Once shortlisted, you or your band will be called to attend the MRSC Heat, scheduled to be held during mid October 2008. The results will be announced on the same day or after. Judging criteria will be based on four categories - Songwriting, Music Arrangement, Improvisation and Instrumental.

The Grand Final Concert & Award Presentation will be held on 7 December 2008. Best of all, bloggers will be invited (bloggers, do help to promote this event).
Tags: Malaysia Revival Songwriting Competition 2008, MRSC 2008, Recording Contract, Music Industry, Music Career, Songwriting, Music Arrangement, Improvisation, Instrumental, Music, Starmaker

Doctors Comparing Notes .....!

An Israeli doctor says: 'Medicine in my country is so advanced that we can take a kidney out of one man, put it in another, and have him looking for work in six weeks.'

A German doctor says: 'That is nothing, we can take a lung out of one person, put it in another, and have him looking for work in four weeks.

A Russian doctor says: 'In my country, medicine is so far progressed that we can take half a heart out of one person, put it in another, and have them both looking for work in two weeks.'

The Malaysian doctor, not to be outdone, says 'You guys are way behind, we recently took a man with no brains, put him in the Parliament for 5 years, and now half the country is looking for work.'

Tags: Jokes, Funny, Humour, Israeli, German, Russian, Malaysian, Doctor

Hope Flickers for Jahut Christians

The Temerloh High Court today ordered that the hearing over the non-supply of water and electricity to a Jahut church in Kampung Pasu to proceed as planned on Aug 15.It threw out the respondents' – the Temerloh District & Land Office and the Pahang State Government – preliminary objection to the hearing on the basis of the application by the orang aslis being submitted late.

However, the Jahut Christians will still have to worship by candlelight as Judge Datuk Abdul Halim Aman refused to order the respondents to establish water and electricity supply pending a judgment on the case.

"Who knows how long this case will drag on? The defendants have not even filed their affidavit yet," Annou Xavier, one of the counsels for the Jahuts told The Malaysian Insider.

The group of Jahut Christians from Kampung Pasu, led by village elder, Wet bin Ket and his son, Yaman bin Wet, are seeking a judicial review over the local district and land office's refusal to supply their village church with water and electricity for the past 2 years.

The villagers, who embraced Christianity in 2000, built the church in Wet's backyard with his permission in 2003. But it was demolished by the local authorities who ruled that they were erecting an illegal structure as they had not obtained proper approval from the authorities.

In 2006, they won RM35,000 as compensation to rebuild their church, which they also use as a tuition centre for their school-going children, and as a nursery for the younger ones.

Xavier said that the reasons given by the local authorities are that the building was erected on land not gazetted and that the building was erected as a place of worship without the approval of the local district and land office.

The Orang Asli are however contesting that decision based on their native rights.
By Shannon Teoh, Malaysian Insider

Tags: Jahut Christian, Jahut Church, Malaysia, Kampung Pasu, Temerloh, Temerloh High Court, Malaysian Insider, Temerloh District & Land Office, Pahang State Government, Orang Asli, Christianity

Tips From the Petronas Supervisor

In view of the recent increase in the petrol price, a revelation was revealed somewhere in Kuala Lumpur. Apologise to the overseas readers as this blog posting is in my national language, Bahasa Malaysia. Anyway, the following paras are only applicable in Malaysia. For those who understand it, do continue reading ............

ni petua yang baru aku dapat dari petugas stesen minyak Petronas kat Selayang ....

masa2 tengah gawat dengan harga minyak naik melambung ni tentu korang nak isi minyak dengan harga yang dulu atau lagi murah dari dulu aku dengan supervisor minyak ni agak rapat la, so dia rasa aku org yang agak sesuai kot utk dia berikan tips mcm mana nak turunkan harga RM2.70 kat pam minyak jadi RM1.98 or suka ati korang la nak letak berapa sen ...

mula2 mmg aku tak percaya ... tapi......

1. korang kena gi kaunter pam tu cakap nak isi penuh bagi le berapa pun .... dengan mengatakan isi penuh jer korang boleh setting balik harga kat pam korang pilih tu ... x kira la pam 1 ke, pam 2 ker jgn pam angin atau NGV sudah la ...

2. korang gi balik kat pam korang tu, dan jgn angkat nozel lagi.

3. kat pam tu kan ada dua punat2 utk nomor (bukan utk credit card tau) yang bawah pada screen liter tu ... kira mcm nak isi manual nyer harga la

4. korang tekan 'clear' - utk resetkan harga yang kaunter minyak tu set tadi

5. then korang tekan enter - 3x

6. then korang tekan '0' , '0', '1', '9', '8' (RM1.98 sen seliter) atau korang tekan la berapa pun korang suka

7. pastu korang tekan enter - 3x sekali lagi

8. tekan butang clear - 2x

9. then korang tekan berapa puluh korang nak isi

10. tekan enter lepas dah masukkan nilai isian pastu ...


supervisor petrol pam akan jumpa korang



"woi apa ko buat ni ... main tekan-tekan ni ... xde keje lain ker...!!!!"



so korang dengan muka selamba isi jer minyak dengan harga baru kerajaan RM2.70 seliter ...



dah gi buat keje...
Tags: Petronas, Malaysia, Petrol Price, Petrol Station

Saliva Drooling at The Colonial

Was at The Colonial restaurant located at Taman Danau Desa for dinner. This restaurant was renovated some time back displaying olden days interior. Not bad.

Was there at 9pm so I'm not sure how good was their business during the peak hour.



Cosy with white colour as the main background with big green plants that went nicely with the decors.


My Thai style fried rice. The helping was a bit too little for my stomach.
Family members ordered the rest. This one is the Chicken Chop Rice that comes with french fries and the fattening mayonnaise mixed with vegie. Price - I think it was RM13++

Ipoh Sar Hor Fun - tasteless. Yeah, don't order this. Can't duplicate those found in the real Ipoh city.
The normal steamed Chicken Rice that comes with bean sprout and two fish balls.

The pricing is quite normal with most of the food priced within the range of RM6++ to RM8++.

They serve Western and Oriental dishes.
Tags: The Colonial, Taman Danau Desa, Food, Western Dishes, Oriental Dishes