moving in

This is the new place for my blog

COVID-19

The virus affects everyone. Basically, half the world’s on a lockdown of some sort. Everyone has to stay at home, businesses are forced to close down and our economy’s at the brink of collapsing. On the other hand, the streets are emptier, curbs are cleaner and the air’s clearer.

I am one of the very few who has the permit to drive to the workplace to work, as I am part of the essential workforce. I drive down what would normally be a congested road, it is now an empty one. Just like a scene in 28 Days Later, sans the annoying zombies of course. I then park my car at what would be a normally full parking lot, with plenty of lots to choose from. I walk into the office building, there is no one to avert, no fake courtesy smiles to exchange, and I can probably hear a pin drop.

This whole thing is unprecedented. And I actually like it, this whole lockdown thing. It reminded me of the simpler days in the early 80’s, when life was much simpler and we hadn’t heard of the term ‘traffic congestion’ or ‘crowded places’. It was the time when we could see blue sky, smell the sea breeze and don’t have to worry about the time. I have finally felt that again, and I like it.

aunty

I was talking to my colleagues about some bitches in Company T, and I casually referred to the individual as ‘aunty’ (it was actually in Hokkien – “Lau Ee”. But it roughly translates to the same meaning). One of my colleagues, intrigued, asked me

“Dude, you kept referring to that girl as ‘aunty’, but to me, she’s still too young to be referred as such. So what’s your actual definition of ‘aunty’?”

For the record, that particular person was in her mid 30’s.

“You’ve got to be kidding me man. You really have to ask this?? Have you been eating leaded paint chips when you’re little??”

One will be automatically become an aunty if she meets any of the following criteria:
– one is over the age of 30
– one who is already married, regardless of age
– one already has given birth to a child
– one who is perceived as a biznatch/bitch, regardless of the age.
– one who is annoying according to you

I have spoken.

Malaysian government

If you do not already knew, Modin will be the new PM of Malaysia, after a week’s worth of ridiculous events unfolding before every Malaysian’s bewildered 3rd world brain.

Here’s the piece of it

[source]
As Muhyiddin gets ready to take over, a divided country awaits
KUALA LUMPUR, March 1 — Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin is expected to be sworn in as prime minister today, but the ceremony is unlikely to heal the wounds that have divided the nation following the resignation of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

While his coalition has united the Malay political forces of Umno, PAS and Bersatu, it also has its work cut out in winning over the significantly large number of Malaysians who must surely have been sickened by the events of the past week.

He will have to build bridges especially with those who were not supportive of his coalition.

Supporters have called for calm and for Malaysians to respect the decision of the King yesterday to name him as the man who is likely to command the majority of Parliament.

He will need to quickly win over detractors and build bridges even within his own party after some Bersatu MPs claimed last night they did not declare for him.

Of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia’s original 25 MPs, at least six of them claimed last night that they backed Dr Mahathir.

There were also claims that the party’s Supreme Council was not behind the decision to name him as prime minister.

With Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman one of the six who disagreed with Muhyiddin as prime minister, and leading his Youth wing to stay with that stance, it remains to be seen how long Muhyiddin can keep his fledgling party from tearing apart — barring a purge of his critics.

Muhyiddin will also have to face demands from his own partners.

There are four distinct groups who will be vying for a seat at the table in his administration.

While they all represent Malay-Muslim interests, the Azmin Ali faction, Umno, PAS, and his own party will want seats in his Cabinet.

But above all, his administration will have its work cut out in trying to convince the significantly large population of the country who would have been sickened by the turn of events in the past week.

Nearly 50 per cent of Malaysians voted for Pakatan Harapan(PH) parties largely because of anger over Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1MDB scandal.

Now less than two years later, PH is without Bersatu, and many Umno MPs — some of whom are on trial for corruption — will be part of the ruling coalition.

The Pagoh MP will now have build bridges with stakeholders — from the business community to the civil service, but most importantly with the civil societies which had worked hard to mobilise the voters resulting in the fall of BN in 2018, only to see their work come to naught now.

But after a week of twists and turns, Muhyiddin will just be relieved to be sworn in as PM today.

He will celebrate getting the top job after a long career in politics.

And then he will have to start work on repairing a divided Malaysia.

Sad day for Malaysia, I know. I wasn’t impressed with the PH government all these while, but that’s because I have set a very high expectation of them. At their most dismal performance, these amateurs were still way better than the previous corrupted BN government. Now it has all gone to the dogs.

In my opinion, the whole drama stemmed from 1 root cause (I could be wrong, there could be a lot more than this) – Anwar could not wait to be the Prime Minister. Instead of waiting it out (although the whole idea of waiting for the PM post to be handed just like that to him is foolish, but that’s a totally different discussion), people keep harping Dr.M to step down and hand the PM post to Anwar, either by deliberate design, or subliminally. Hell, if I’m in Dr. M’s faction (or Dr. M himself), I’d be pissed of course, who wouldn’t? It’s like seeing an asswipe standing by your table in a busy foodcourt making snide remarks about you eating for too long because he wanted the table. The more the guy pisses me off, the more I’d make him wait. That’s what I’d do. So, this impulsiveness of can’t wait to be PM… in a way, soured relationships with Bersatu (Dr. M’s gang) and caused some infighting within his PKR party big time (because some people respect the old man), and eventually led to a large scale of school-canteen style duke-it-out amongst these old men. When you’re fighting amongst yourselves, your enemies will have all the advantages to exploit your ass. And that’s what the UMNO and PAS guys did (they’re smarter than I thought they were).

And to put insult to the injury, there’s nothing undemocratic about the whole thing (unlike most people tend to say out of ignorance and anger in social media). We voted for the MPs (members of parliament), remember? We didn’t vote for who will be the Federal Government or State Government. The formation of Federal Government or State Government, is subject to political alignment within the same group of MPs themselves. That’s how our political system works. Meaning, the same members in the whole parliament, can align within themselves to form a government, just as long as their coalition has the majority. The same MPs are still there. They are not going away. Just with different affiliations and alignments. So, there’s nothing undemocratic about it. Now you know democracy is a bitch – you’d be the one feeling sore when things don’t go your way (because you’re not the majority).

 

dipshits in Company T

One of the many things that bothers me a lot about Company T employees, is that they like to stay in their car after driving into their parking lot. That is, they’d park their vehicles, but would not alight for another 10 – 15 minutes, with the engine running. These dipshits, would play with their phone inside their car like they have an obligatory duty to keep their douchebaggery in check.

Now why would I be bothered with their business? The thing is, if they’re in the car, you wouldn’t know when they’re going to come out, and if I were to park my car next to theirs, and if they were to open the door (without looking, most of the time, because their fucking eyes are on the phone, remember?) at the wrong timing, accidents could happen, see? So I have to skip the lot next to the dipshit’s car. Imagine a whole lot of them around… you’d be pissed too like me.

MJ

I’m sure most of you people know who Michael Jackson was (duh!)… But do you know that the name ‘Michael Jackson’ could take a totally different meaning in Penang? If you have not already experienced this, don’t be surprised when you hear a waiter/waitress holler out loud “Michael Jackson!” in a local food court or coffee shop – for he/she does not mean to call someone who shares the same name as the dead megastar, but it’s a name of a popular drink of soya bean milk with herbal jelly (local calls it ‘cincau’). Who came up with the name, I am not sure, but it would sure to get one ponder as to why they came up with the name. Was it for the ‘Black or White’ song? Or his known condition with vitiligo? I guess we’d never know. Here’s the picture of it in case you do not believe me…

 

black shoes

Look at this goddamn mess left behind by the ex-education minister (history: here)

Report: Schools told to find out how many students wear black, white shoes
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 15 — The Education Ministry has directed all schools nationwide to survey their students on the uptake of the policy allowing black shoes as part of student uniforms.

Local daily Sin Chew Daily referred to a January 14 letter by the Education Ministry that was spread on social media, which was addressed to the education directors of all state education departments asking them to notify schools of the survey.

In it, the Education Ministry said it has started gradually allowing black shoes and socks in schools from 2019 to 2021.

The Education Ministry said it saw a need to conduct a study based on the schools’ findings of the policy’s implementation, with a request for schools to complete the online survey form by January 22, 2020.

Sin Chew Daily said it had verified this with the principal of a primary school in Kuala Lumpur, and published a photograph of the survey form that included details such as the number of students enrolled in the school, and the number of students wearing black shoes and white shoes respectively.

When contacted by Malay Mail today, National Union of the Teaching Profession Malaysia (NUTP) president Aminuddin Awang confirmed that the Education Ministry has asked schools to conduct a survey on the implementation of the black shoes policy.

He also verified that the letter circulating on social media to be genuine.

The letter contains a link to the website for the online survey form, with a note from the Education Ministry that a majority of respondents in engagement efforts including parents agreed with school students wearing black school shoes as compared to the wearing of white school shoes.

The note also stated that the Education Ministry wished to obtain findings on the implementation of the black shoe policy at the school level, and that schools are required to fill up the survey before or by January 31, 2020.

I bet they’re finding out how deep the shit has rooted to the ground, and if it is too late to reel back the decision to move to black shoes. After all, our new government is the U-turn king. Like I have been saying, the Pakatan Harapan government has been a huge disappointment.