Entries from February 2008 ↓

Picture Credit of uyanum

I wrote about Parliament being dissolved and my excitement at the forthcoming Malaysian 12th General Election.

I will enjoy the poster war that will ensue and the excitement that builds, first on Nomination Day on February 24 (Sunday) when the candidates are named, and when it culminates on Polling Day on March 8 (Saturday). (Aside: I thought it was supposed to be a Snap Elections? Guess we were fooled again)

I will enjoy reading the promises and rumors that I am sure will abound in the follow up to the polls, as each side tries to outdo each other in their bid to be the winning candidate.

BUT I WILL NOT BE BLOGGING ABOUT IT.

From reading various blogs, I’ve realised that politics and religion make for bad blogging topics because it brings out the nasty side of everyone. More so when people share different beliefs and ideologies. Friendships have fallen out over less controversial topics and I don’t want to lose any friendships over arguing who is going to make a better government, or whether we should vote in a check and balance or whether it is going to make a difference.

I suppose those who thrive on controversial topics will enjoy the traffic it brings as supporters and detractors alike pop by to support/bash what you say on your blog.

I on the other hand, don’t thrive on this and so, if you want juicy election or candidate gossip, I’m afraid you are going to be sorely disappointed. Oh, and I’m not going to tell anyone where my political sentiments lie. Some things are left better unsaid.

All I will say is this: When you vote, Vote Wisely.

Interpret that how you will.

St. Valentine was a monk and I bet he never realised that his name would be associated with romance all over the world on one day in a year. Yet, it is, and on this one day and the days before, sales of flowers, chocolates and (for the lucky ones) jewelry will skyrocket.

Then again, who’s to buck tradition, eh?

Me? I like the Japanese style.

On 14 February, it is traditional for Japanese women to give gifts of chocolate to their male friends or colleagues. All very lovely right?

But on 14 March, the men reciprocate on White Day with gifts of white chocolate and JEWELRY 3 times the value of the gift they received!  Woohoo! The Japanese sure know a good thing!

Wait a minute… I’m reading on various blogs that Parliament has ALREADY been dissolved? Time of writing 11.53am. I don’t read Kit Siang, but followed a link there.

Oh and here’s a really fascinating news excerpt from The Guardian (UK Newspaper):

Malaysia PM to call for snap poll Wednesday -source

* Reuters
* Wednesday February 13 2008

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 13 (Reuters) - Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has received consent from the country’s king to dissolve parliament and call for fresh elections, a source close to the prime minister said on Wednesday.
Separately, an aide to the premier said Abdullah would hold a news conference later on Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. local time (0430 GMT), though he declined to give further details. A senior editor at television station TV3 said the channel was on standby to air an important announcement from the premier.
The source said the Election Commission would decide on the poll date in coming days but it was likely to be held within the first 10 days of March.
(Reporting by Mark Bendeich, Jalil Hamid and Jahabar Sadiq; editing by Bill Tarrant)

They get these news more accurately halfway across the world than we do here in Malaysia!

Now come come… in the spirit of the Chinese New Year, anyone wanna take bets on when the polling day will be? Will it be a public holiday? Woohoo!

Yesterday on the 8pm news, PM Abdullah Badawi was quite vehement in denying that he would dissolve Parliament today (13 February 2008). This was reported in Bernama and The Star as well. I saw that bit of news, because I am caught up in the excitement of the General Elections. I always am, every election.

I’m so excited I just wish he would dissolve Parliament and get on with it already! I mean the election machinery is groaning away, raring to go; lists of candidates have been drafted and cut and pasted and sliced and diced by the various political parties; incumbents and new faces are lobbying so hard to be fielded you’d think they were running for President of the United States of America.

Yet, the PM refuses to announce the dissolution.

Until today that is.

A short while ago, I saw on Petaling Street that the PM Abdullah Badawi has called for a press conference at his office this afternoon at 12.30pm. Is Parliament to be dissolved today as the whole country has speculated?

I’m actually not surprised at the turn of events. A year ago, he was asked repeatedly by reporters if he was going to get re-married to which he denied vehemently. A short while later, he announced his impending marriage. I guess the dissolution of Parliament is going to go down the same route?

Deny everything and then confirm all the rumours and rife speculation. Dah biasa-lah tu!

So, come on, put us out of our misery and just dissolve Parliament why don’t you?!

The siblings and I got up bright and early on Chinese New Year eve to make our trip down south to the town we call home. The plus point about leaving KL at 6am means smooth sailing traffic all the way home! That was of course, after we had packed up the car with the requisite box of kum (mandarin oranges) for the parents and goodies for us to munch on.

Chinese New Year isn’t the same without pineapple tarts or love letters or bak kwa (barbequeued meat) or preserved fruits in gaudy colours. 3 out of 4 made it into our shopping lists. I guess we’ve outgrown the gaudily coloured preserved olives and plums. That isn’t to say that there weren’t any! We just stayed away from the ones that came in shades of the traffic lights. I call them kiam seng tni (hokkien for salty sour and sweet) and for me, Chinese New Year just isn’t complete without some form of preserved fruit around.

We were in for a treat this Chinese New Year because we managed to catch both a Lion Dance AND Dragon Dance performance! (Update: Photos taken by Pink Elle )

Lion Dances are common around town where the acrobatic “lions” will help usher in the new year with good tidings and lots of tong tong chiang noise. But dragon dances are more rare. Its been ages since I witnessed a Dragon Dance so I was quite shamelessly excited to watch this one.

There was of course, lots of food and more food, when we returned to visit the grandmother and relatives in KL. The thing about grandmas is that they try to please everyone by cooking what everyone wants to eat, which makes for a huge meal! We ended up having to eat and pack away the rest of the food to bring home with us. Relish eating leftovers? Erm… maybe in a couple of days… burp!

And of course, what is Chinese New Year without collecting ang pows from the relatives?! I’m enjoying collecting the lucky red packets while I can, while sis is savouring collecting the last of her CNY ang pows before she gets married. This time next year, maybe I’ll have an extra ang pow from her! hehe…

Pickings do get leaner as the years go by and I did get the annual statement “This better be the last year you are collecting the ang pow from me!” and “When are you finding someone and getting married?” both of which I tend to ignore Why spoil a good thing eh?

So, with a whizz and bang of virtual fireworks (it was real and very noisy fireworks where I come from) we usher in the Lunar year of the Rat. Here’s hoping it’ll be a good one for all of us!!