Wednesday, December 28, 2011

DREAMS UNFINISHED - VENICE, KLONGS AND INLAND WATERWAY

Malaysia is blessed with vast bodies of water rendered alive by high rainfall throughout the year. So much water make some people feel that water is a nuisance. Many a time we see projects filling in the drains, swampy lands and lakes in the name of development. But development can go hand-in-hand with conservation.

We do not undestand how to make the best use of water to conserve and live with it unlike the Melanaus in the heartland of sago, Mukah, Sarawak. They plant sago in swampy areas, transport sago logs by means of inter-connected water ways (ditches and rivers) to the factories sited along rivers. They live, move around, and bath by the rivers.


The British at one time proposed to build the Kra canal linking the Bay of Bengal and the South China Sea. They were in control of India, Burma, Malaya, Singapore, and China was their majoir trading partner. The canal would be of vested interest to shorten shipping time.

Would the current geopolitics make the Kra canal feasible? Countries spanning from India/Sri lanka to China-Japan-Russia stand to gain  in terms of shorter sea journey.

What are the other ramifications:
i) Langkawi need to develop a port. Tanjung Pelepas and Klang port activities reduced.
ii) Rangoon and Bangkok will become bustling ports.
iii) Singapore's entrepot trade reduced.
iv) Thailand may face increased security problem in the south unless Pattani is granted autonomy.



The Kedah Plain stretching from Sg Petani to Alor Star-Jitra where our rice bowl is located presents a suitable region to develop canals and inland waterway. This may not for economic reasons so much but to make use of the abundant water in the rivers, irrigation-drainage canals, lakes, wetlands and ditches - for beautification of the rice landscape, for tourist attraction and to instill love of water for generations to come.

TS Sanusi Junid has this dream of Venice of the East. I has this dream too since two decades ago when frequenting that part of the country. I squirmed on seeing roadside drains and canals being filled up with soil, rubbish and poorly maintained.

Tunku was a brave man to dream of a massive transformation of the Kedah Plain by damming up-river and channel the water for rice cultivation. His was not run-of-the mill type of thinking and leadership. This is one of his legacies to the people.

A comprehensive and detail study should be made in the planning to develop an intricate inland waterway. There are examples in many countries like England and Europe maintaining complex inland waterways for transport and recreation.

Locks and bridges built should allow boats to pass through/under.


Venice (pic), main canal and gondola.

Do we know who and how the Italians built the complicated canal system and water control?



Klongs at Bangkok on the Menam Chao Phraya.

Practical usage for business and transport of the river system commit maintenance, conservation and sustainable living.

Monday, December 26, 2011

KU PENAKUT JADI SAMURAI

lagak menteri
berani mati
harakiri

perut terburai
ala samurai
kadar mulut murai.

Samurai kontot!


Zaman kegemilangan gulungan pahlawan samurai (sebelumnya dikenali bushi) di Jepun adalah dalam abad ke 11 sehingga kenaikan Meiji 1868. Setelah sistem feudal dimansuhkan pada tahun 1871, kaum samurai kehilangan tuan dan hartanah. Mereka kemudian menumpukan masa menjadi ahli burokrat Confucian.

The real samurai of modern day is this:











Saturday, December 24, 2011

XL BRA TAK SEMESTI WINNABLE

Larutan kelantangan OWG mengatakan aksi2 4+1, 3+1 dan 2+1 amat orgasmik kini ada Wanita UMNO dimedan  ramai berani mengatakan branya lebih besar dari Sharizat. Mengghairahkan ya. Belum tentu lagi orinya kerana kalau2 ada padding atau falsy dengan suntikan silicone!


Kalau diperhatikan orang2 atasan UMNO baik perempuan maupun lelaki makin hari makin gemuk, perut membuncit, seluar melondeh. Maklumlah jamuan atas jamuan tak sempat exercise.

Kenalah lansingkan badan dan jaga kesihatan. Caranya ikutlah panduan buku yang diterbitkan pada tahun 1971 oleh Al-Ahmadiah Press, Singapura.

Dengan berbra besar dan badan lansing seperti Marlyn Monroe atau Cleopatra bertambah winnable lagi. Takkan Najib nak ketepikan dalam PRU13.


.

Tetapi syarat mutlak untuk winnable ialah bermain 1jari bersama Najib atau seperti beliau. Perhatikanlah nanti.






Yang winnable juga ialah yang lurus tapi janganlah lurus bendul.

Yang bengkok jangan harap kerana hentam depan belakang, atas bawah, kiri kanan.







Nampaknya yang paling winnable ialah Najib sendiri. Apa tak dia seorang saja yang buat kerja - resmikan itu ini, jamuan itu ini, pidato itu ini, menteri2 lain tak ada buat statement pun! Carry on Bro.

Thursday, December 22, 2011

SANGGUP BERENANG UNTUK TAWAF!

Cuaca dunia sudah berubah. Bah berluluasa. Ramai menyangka ia hanya pertukaran angin, putaran air lautan, pencemaran alam, salji di khutub Artic dan Antartic cair .... Sebenarnya semuanya kuasa Allah memberi pertunjuk dan kesedaran kapada sekelian makhluknya.

Bah Kajang baru lepas. Bah di Johor sedang berlalu.

Kuala Kangsar tenggelam pada Januari 1967.


Kebelakangan ini Jedah, Mekah dan Madinah agak kerap dibanjiri air hujan.

Antara bah besar yang pernah berlaku di Mekah ialah musim haji Februari 1969. Ada para jemaah sanggup berenang melakukan tawaf.

Ia berulang 35 tahun kemudiannya ia-itu pada tahun 2003 (1424).

Jemaah mengerjakan Sa'i antara Saffar dan Marwah.
Sebulan sebelum bah, pengubahsuaian Masjidilharam telah dimulakan dan ini menambahkan lagi suasana kerosakan.


Sistem peparitan adakah bertambah baik sekarang?







Gambar2 dipetik daripada buku ini (L) dan penulisnya mengalami sendiri bah di Mekah tahun 1969 tersebut.








Pernah disyurkan (dalam blog Che Det) supaya pihak Saudi adakan sistem pembuangan najis dari Mekah dan Madinah kekawasan padang pasir (berjauhan) supaya dimenafaatkan dan menhijaukan kawasan tandus untuk pertanian dan oasis. Bayangkan berapa ribuan tan baja dapat dikitar tiap hari. It is within today's engineering feat.

Sunday, December 18, 2011

'THE DUTCHMAN' DAH SUNAT


















Tamadun Mesir kuno telah maju dalam banyak perkara termasuk pertanian, pembanguna (pirimid), pelayaran, peperangan, pemerintahan.

Agak terpegun bila mengetahui mereka telah mempratikkan bersunat atau berkhatan untuk kaum lelaki (perempuan?) semenjak ribuan tahun lagi.

Apa pula Kama Sutra kata berkenaan sunat? Ah, masih ku tak baca buku tulisan (alihbahasa)  Richard Burton tu!.


Adakah binatang pun bersunat? Di pulau besar Borneo dikawasan hutan Lahad Datu, Sg Kinabatangan, Sg Segama dan Bandjarmasin (Sg Kembang) terdapat kera belanda hidup liar. Ia dipanggil juga proboscis monkeys atau Dutchman monkeys.

Sijantan mempunyai hidung panjang berwarna kemerahan. Sebab itu agaknya digelarkan 'Belanda'. Bila orang2 Nusantara pertama kali melihat penjajah Belanda dan dibandingkan  dengan mereka jelas ketara beza saiz hidung.


Bila 'Dutchman' terperanjat atau terancam hidungnya akan menegak seolah hendak menakutkan musuh.



Dutchman ini suka memperagakan yang ia sudah sunat!

Thursday, December 15, 2011

SHAHRIZAT NFC SHOULD BEAR THE AXE

The 1500ac (ha) NFC project in Gemas run by Sharizat's family borders the Ladang UMNO Sg. Dua.

Circa 1960 UMNO allocated young rubber-planted land 6ac each to landless kampong folks in Kg. Sg. Dua. It was through this helping-the -people project that my late father (L) becambe landed from being a landless sharecropper tapping rubber. When the trees became tappable our life improved from sheer poverty. Later another 2ac were added to each project member to build a new kampong.

Thus, in the early years UMNO was really for the people. Members in turn sacrifice and work for UMNO almost for nothing.

Lately, UMNO has bastardized the Malays. It has been hijacked to be propel leaders to power and of misplaced dreams. Service to uplift all Malays, regardless of being UMNO members or not has been neglected.


Such is the case with the NFC grand project of RM250 million that lacks proper government jurisdiction. When abuses are found to be taking place Shahrizat denies having any ties with the project run by her husband and children. Is she not sharing the same pillow and bed with her spouse?

Leaders directly connected with approving the huge sum of money and land for the NFC project on easy terms are keeping mum denying any responsibility.

The honourable thing to do for Shahrizat to step down. The mistake is too grevious for UMNO and the country.

Najib seems to let the public make the judgement and pass the sentence. Hence, in the eyes of the people he is a meek leader. He talks about being a game changer, he is not walking the talk. Is he playing the game that the Malays have no choice to survive but to vote UMNO?

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

OF THOMAS JEFFERSON and SANUSI JUNID

TS Sanusi Junid, the maverick and enigma.

When he was Menteri Pertanian he put forward many ideas that set minds to ponder and think to promote agriculture and improve farmers' livelihood.

His air kelapa muda campaign has been a roaring success. Now, we can enjoy the nutritious, cool air kelapa at many roadside stalls and pasar malam. Lorry loads of kelapa muda are seen on the roads being transported to various market places. The price of cocnuts has gone up considerably.


MARDI was his launching pad for new ideas to experiment on.

We have not enough rice in production and land getting scarce so plant rice on rooftops, Sanusi said!
MARDI complied with experimenting that idea at its research station at Bumbong Lima. Under certain circumstances the technology could be viable perhaps.



TS Sanusi on his visit to MARDI  Hilir Perak  station with former DG of MARDI (2nd R) explaining, 1989.



TS Sanusi's biodata speaks volumes of him:

- Sekolah Melayu Yan, Kedah (1950-1953);
- Ibrahim School Sungai Petani, Kedah (1954-1956);
- MCKK (1957-1963);
- Assistant Scount Master 1st Kuala Kangsar Scouts;
- Berlitz School of Languages, City of London College, London School of Economics, and Hamburg University of West Germany for Associateship of the Institute of Bankers (London) and the Institute of Exports and Marketing;
- Member of UMNO since 13 October, 1963;
- Information Officer of Alliance Club, London (1969); 
- Secretary General of Malaysian Association of Youth Club - MAYC - (1971);
- President of MAYC (1972-2002);
- Founder Vice-President of ABIM (1971-1973)( Founder President of ABIM is Prof. Dr. Ghazali Nawawi now attached to the International Islamic University Malaysia);
- Manager of The Chartered Bank up to 1977;
- Chairman of SHAMELIN (1975-1977);
- General Manager of SHAMELIN (1977-1978);
- Member of Parliament (1974-1995);
- Secretary General of UMNO (1984-1988);
- Vice President of UMNO (1990-1993);
- State Assemblyman of Kedah (1995-2004);
- Deputy Minister (1978-1981;
- Cabinet Minister (1981-1995);
- Menteri Besar of Kedah (1996-1999);
- Professor of Nanjing University, China;
- President of International Islamic University Malaysia (2000-2008)


LOVE OF BOOKS - 20,000 volume in his library collection.
http://sanusijunid.blogspot.com/
Saturday, December 3, 2011: MALAYSIAN BUSINESS: AS COLOURFUL AS THEY COME

i) Perhaps one reason why Sanusi’s peers could not see eye to eye with him is that he had a different plane of thought. An intellectual on many counts, Sanusi was exposed to so many other worlds, concepts and philosophies, thanks to his voracious appetite for books.

ii) ‘He reads on every subject; he knows the latest film,’ says Rozai. ‘Ten years ago, he was already talking about genomes and nanotechnology.’ Sanusi, he says, would often explain to his staff things he read.

iii) ‘I read many books at the same time; some books I haven’t finished in the past 10 years,’ Sanusi says. “I read a book, and it mentions nanotechnology, then my next book would be nanotechnology.’

iv) Sanusi has his own personal library, with more than 20,000 books neatly organised, housed just a few doors away from where he lives. He reads in the car, in waiting rooms and airports.

v) It is not surprising then that Sanusi is an active advocate for the reading habit. His previous projects include a citizen’s reading centre, Pubara, at Paya Pahlawan in Jitra and a book village, Kampung Buku Malaysia, in Lubuk Semilang, Langkawi.


Of common interest TS Sanusi's with Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), the third President of US is their love and collection of books. Both are learned men.


Jefferson was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, 1776. Assuming the office of the Presidency in 1801, he acquired Louisiana for the US (1803) and retired in 1809.
He was an extraordinary learned man whose interests in the arts and sciences were wide ranging.


The Library of Congress, Washington D.C. began in 1815 with the private collection of Jefferson's 6,760 volumes. Today it contains, millions of books, documents, maps and other items.

Friday, December 2, 2011

BAH BANGKOK DI KUALA KANGSAR?

Sg Perak, yang ke 2 terbesar di Semenanjung melingkar seperti ular di palu, membengkok kiri-kanan dari ulu di Tasik Temenggur hingga muaranya di Bagan Datoh.

Ibaratkan ular sawa ini sudah sakit perut, sarat dan tenat menelan pasir dan sampah sarap buangan manusia maupun hakisan geografi Banjaran Titiwangsa disebelah kanan dan Pergunungan Kledang di sebelah kirinya.



Adakah Sg Perak akan muntah sebagaimana berlaku 6hb Januari 1967, hampir 45 tahun dahulu dimana pekan Kuala Kangsar menjadi mangsa luahan air keterlaluan? Bila marahnya menggila adakah apa2 petanda ulang ke 50 tahun bahnya - dalam jangkamasa 5 tahun ini.




Petanda2:
 i) perut sungai sudah dengkat;
ii) air hujan mengalir laju kesemua anak2 sungai terus (kerana kawasan hutan berkurangan) dilonggokan keibunya ia-itu Sg Perak;
iii) pulau2 kecil bertaburan sepanjang Sg Perak;
iv) banyak jalan raya menjadi sungai bila hujan lebat dan airnya lari ke anak2 sungai dan seterus ke ibunya;
v) K. Kangsar adalah kawasan rendah merupakan pekan lama orang Melayu biasa terletak di tepi sungai ...



Walla hu alam.

Dunia sekarang haru piru dilakukan manusia.

Jagalah dan sayangi sungai, nikmat Allah.

Sunday, November 27, 2011

DR. ANG SWEE CHAI - jihad for Palestinians

A dedication to Dr Ang Swee Chai


at 7:00:00 PM, 27 Nov 2011 posted by Barrie: http://wherebearsroamfree.blogspot.com/

Dr Ang Swee Chai. Born in Penang, raised in Singapore, studied at the University of Singapore, then studied in London. She is now a widow. The widow of the late Francis Khoo, alleged Marxist conspirator. Here is her eulogy dedicated to her late husband. A moving story of true love. Remembering Francis Khoo Kah Siang, alleged Euro-Communist security threat
There is another passion and love which Dr Ang has, which is noted worldwide. The Palestinian cause. She gave up a lucrative medical career in London to work as a volunteer to help Palestinian refugees in Lebanon. This was to change her life forever.
Dr Ang Swee Chai - Surgeon With A Mission (PDF) Excerpt below starts on page 5.
PAT: Many people who are reading this interview may not be familiar with your book and your work. Can you tell us what it is like, someone who is trained in the University of Singapore, going into what essentially was then a war zone in Lebanon? What were some of the adjustments you had to make? What were some of the mind shifts that you had to make?
DR ANG: The number one issue was my own mindset because I was brought up all along to fear Arabs and to hate terrorism, and I thought all Arabs were terrorists. Although I grew up in Singapore with Muslims, I never got to know them properly. When I found myself working in a refugee camp, for the first few days, I kept asking myself, “Are these people really Palestinians?” Because they are such wonderful people, they are so generous and such lovely people – they cannot be Arabs, not to mention Palestinians.
It took a lot of adjusting for me. I really learnt about the Palestinian people first-hand when I worked in their hospital, which was called Gaza Hospital and was built by the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon and named after the Gaza Strip in the Occupied Palestinian Territories kilometers away. At that time, Lebanon had 350,000 Palestinian refugees. They were some of the people who had fled historical Palestine when Israel was formed and these people were put in tents and they grew up as refugees. They demolished their own tents and they built houses in their townships or refugee camps. They tried to remember the places they came from by calling their institutions after places in Palestine, like Ramallah Maternity Clinic, Nazareth and Gaza Hospital. Pauline Cutting, a very famous British doctor, part of Medical Aid for Palestinians and Susie Wighton, a Scottish nurse, worked in a hospital called Haifa Hospital. By default, I found myself in charge of the orthopaedic department at Gaza Hospital. In 1982, I did not think I was really good at it at all, you see – but I was all they had − most of their doctors were either imprisoned or killed, or in hiding.
And then came the massacre of Sabra and Shatila, where many Palestinians were killed. I think more than 3,000 people were killed and they were completely defenseless. They trusted their security and their lives to the hands of the multinational peacekeeping forces that did not protect them. Even right now, there is a debate as to who did it. I will not go into that. I went to Jerusalem to testify to the Kahan Israeli tribunal and it came to a very interesting conclusion, beyond the breadth of this interview.

During that period of the massacre, I spent three days and three nights operating in a basement shelter, which was converted into two operating theatres. Pierre, a Norwegian surgeon, and I were operating and operating and then on the last day, when we were ordered out of the basement, we saw so many people dead and that was heartbreaking....
The Kahan Commission of Inquiry (in Jerusalem, hence, her book titled "From Beirut to Jerusalem"), was noted world wide. Dr Ang's testimony gave the world an insight to the atrocities committed by Israel during the Sabra and Shatila Massacre, which claimed 3000 innocent Lebanese Palestinian lives. If not for this then young, brave woman, the world would not have known the genocide committed.
Dr Ang at a makeshift tent at the 2005 Pakistan Earthquake

Pic taken from http://www.sma.org.sg/sma_news/3810/Feature.pdf
Dr Ang's fight for the Palestinian Cause did not end there. Till today, she continues to fight for Palestinians. Here is one of her speeches in London recently. This is about the siege in Gaza.

Gaza Flotilla Massacre: London Demo - Dr Ang Swee Chai [inminds]
However, whenever you fight for the Palestinian cause, the Zionist Lappydogs will always try to discredit you. Here is BBC's interview with Dr Ang. Note the condescending tone of the interviewer, trying to discredit Dr Ang's work.
HARDtalk with Dr Swee Ang Part 1.wmv

1:15 min - Dr Ang grew up in a very Zionist environment (ie Singapore!). In fact, in Church, "we all" (ie the congregation) celebrated the Six Day War Israel won against the Arabs. But in 1982, when Lebanon was bombed to bits (by Israel), she began to wonder. That's when she decided give up her lucrative job in London and volunteered to help out in Beirut.
2:10 min - Dr Ang worked in a basement because of years of bombardment, the operating theatre had to be underground. She noticed that many of the wounded were elderly and very young children. She also heard horror stories from the victims themselves.

3:05 min - Interviewer comments that the bombardment by Israel was because the refugee camps hosted PLO, which was seen as a terrorist organisation then. Dr Ang replies that it was not just that. Because after the PLO evacuated 3 weeks before the massacre (of Sabra and Shatila), she discovered that the refugees have been under siege for the last 4 generations.

4:00 min - Dr Ang gave her testimony in the Kahan Commision of Inquiry (the inquiry on the Massacre of Sabra and Shatila) that led to the resignation of Defence Minister Ariel Sharon (no conviction? ... but he returned as PM from 2001 to 2006! - hypocritical on part of Israel, no?). Dr Ang highlights that the common Israeli people are in fact against killing Palestinians and 400,000 Israelis demonstrated to have the commission.

9:15 min - Interviewer questions Dr Ang that she talks about how young girls armed themselves with bombs and charged at enemy tanks, which the papers call them suicide bombers while the Palestinians called them martyrs - so what does Dr Ang calls them?

Dr Ang says this is a difficult question because some of them were her nurses she trained (medically). She wished they didn't have to do that - to defend their people. What else could they do?

Interviewer presses on to ask if suicide bombing is justified.

Then at 11:35 min, watch Dr Ang hits the nail on the head - "Is there another way?....Maybe...if NATO defended them, then they won't have to do it.."


Part 2

HARDtalk with Dr Swee Ang Part 2.wmv

Lappydog of Israel, BBC, continues to attempt to discredit Dr Ang.

My Comments -

Dr Ang has recently lost the love of her life - her husband. She was willing to marry him even though she knew the ISA was after him. In fact, she married him so that she could be his link to the outside world should he be arrested and detained by the ISD.
As it turned out, her husband managed to escape when he fled to England. Thinking that the ISA won't be after her, she stayed - and was detained for a few days.
But she bears no malice against the Singapore govt. Instead, she works for the Palestinian cause - a passion she loves as much as her late husband.
Dr Ang could have earned big bucks in England as an Orthopaedic Surgeon. Instead, she gives up all that wealth to fight for a group of Palestinians the world abandons. And worse, fighting for Palestinians makes you a political target of the Zionists too.
If there is any woman who should be recognised as the Woman of the Century, it has to be Dr Ang Swee Chai. Pity the likes of Feminist groups AWARE totally missed her world known works.

CAIRO, 1890

Outer entrance of the citadel (R) which was built by Saladin in the 12th century.

Cairo surrendered to Napoleon in 1798. The Frech were later driven out of Egypt by the English.


Arabi, an orator of Al Azhar product led a popular revolt against the English in 1881. His battle cry was "Egypt for Egyptians". He was captured and exiled in Ceylon.
In 1879, Tufik (L) repaced his father, Ismail as the Khedive of Egypt. He banned gambling throughout the country.


It was during Ismail's governancy that the Suez Canal was opened and the extravanza costed him 21 million dollars which made almost a bankcrupt. The kings and princes/princesses of Europe were at the lavish party.

The Ottoman Sultan displaced him and made Tufik as the successor.

The chief wife of Ismail with a private band (L).


An Egyptian dancing girl (L). The men's favourite pastime was playing chess and watching dances at times perhaps.

The road to Choubra (R) where Mehmet, predecessor to Ismail had his summer residence.

Porch of Al Azhar (L). The university was founded in the 9th century.

Napoleon used to goto Al Azhar in full Arab robe to listen to the Quran recitation. It is believed that he was a Muslim.

Students in the outer court, Al Azhar (L).

Praying at the mosque built by Mehmet (R).

Thursday, November 24, 2011

ANAK KERA KU TETEKKAN inikan pula anak sendiri



Anak kera ku tetekkan inikan pula anak sendiri. Walaupun tetek ku sudah kempis dan melanduh. Inilah gambaran betapa rapatnya hidup kami dalam jalinan ekosistem hutan belantara.

Hutan itu kami, kami itu hutan semenjak ribuan tahun.

We the proto-Malays.

Orang luar tiada faham dogma hidup kami. Dengan itu mereka mudah mengancam dan menganiaya kami baik dari segi tanah, tumbuhan dan binatang liar. Padahal itulah sumber bahan makanan, perlindungan dan kesihatan kami.







Di mana dikatakan Malaysia bertamadun, high income economy, Malaysia negara Islam?

Gigi ku sakit dimana dentistnya? Tampal koyok dan tahan sakit berdenyut. Kena cari juga gaharu untuk dijual atau ditukar dengan makanan.

Lebih2 kami dapat RM100 sebulan. Sesungguhnya ahli politik cerita fasal high income economy pandai bermimpi. Masih hendakkan undi kami? Janji atas janji?




Makanan harian kami bergantung kapada ubi kayu dan padi huma. Bukan senang hendak tanam padi kerana musuhnya banyak - babi hutan, kera, serangga, burung. Setenngah-tengah binatang tersebut dapat kami sumpit, panggang dan makan.

Sudah lama kami tahu fasal kacip fatimah, tongkat ali, rafflesia. Sebab itulah kami dapat lawan beberapa penyakit.





Apakah permainan yang kami ada? Tak kan nak panjat pokok atau main air sungai hari2. Kalau ada tapak main guli, lebih padang takraw pun cukuplah.







Pembalakkan yang rakus mengancam kehidupan dan kesihatan kami.

Ramai orang2 kerajaan dan ahli politik yang bertanggung jawah tutup mata sebelah.

Air sungai kotor dimana kami hendak mandi, menangkap ikan.

Sesungguhnya manusia tidak berhati perut bila nampak duit. Hokap.




Penulisan diubahsuai daripada artikel  Star.