Voting Season aka Amazing Race Malaysia

Barely couple of months ago I read Zaid Ibrahim's "In Good Faith" - owner's of Malaysia's largest lawyer firm, have his own publishing company and most of all, one of the most outspoken BN backbencher.

Halfway through his book I am puzzled: How could this guy still fit nicely on one of our 219 parliament seat? Sure enough, Zaid Ibrahim (BN-Kota Baru) has since been, dropped* from the BN line-up for upcoming General Election.

Some people don't get to wait till the elcetion day, 8th March, to know their 'score'.

Good news is he will now focus on social and charity. Malaysian has not lost a talented and outspoken leader. But slowly and progressively extending his business (as far as I know, laywer firm) overseas, I wonder, how long our Boleh Land can keep him?

Who knows he will be another Karim Raslan, who just came back from Indonesia (just?) to write about coming election? Now I know why Marina Mahathir's (sounds familiar, huh? :p) family outing to Indonesia send shivers down my spine. Both stayed out of politics for some apparent good reason: Politivirus infections.

Some of my friends lament that having no other choice, Malaysia is still the best country to earn money and make a living, regardless our cultural background. We just have to be patience, have high tolerance and perhaps, close-many-eyes; particularly on certain government policies.

But it's sad to see after 50 years, we barely passed the social intergration test. We can and need to improve, for the sake of Malaysian's future. With prejudice, over dominance and distrust in the team, you can't move forward effectively as a unit. Others will take advantages on us. The vicious cycle continues.

Unfortunately from the way it goes now, we are far from the level that will have someone like Kevin Rudd to say, well, 'sorry'. Nor we have voter believes in their power: We can vote-out whatever (I mean whoever) we vote-in (Parliament-lar)**. This is another social cycle - as long as money tree grows, have stable lifestyle, business secured; all will do. Anything can.

Mind you: I didn't mention the what-cycle was that. People have their rights to choose so we can only respect that. It's a simple math and process of evolution. If we are not there, so be it. Malaysian defeats all odds and survived somehow. Ask any Malaysian. Malaysia sure Boleh!

So, this is how some of us know their 'result', even before 8th March get started.

Do come back in 24 hours; I shall post some nice pictures of devotees in-trance; Like what happened to most politician and their aides now.

I would rather stay away and awake like KR and MM (not that MM that YOU know in Japan, haha) - but not away from casting my vote, of course.

But eh, when's the last time I saw and talked about Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz (BN-Padang Rengas) again?

Alamak, dah lupe lar... (Alamak, I had forgotten about it...)

(Almost) 24 hours later...(picture as promised :p)


I think I don't need to explain in length about Thaipusam. Nowadays even Ponggol gets the well deserved attention in all major newspaper.

But it was a special Thaipusam this year. The picture above says it all (up to you to interpret-lar hehe...).


Then, I am with my tripod, zoom nicely into a busy swami-ji and a devotee. Silly me: I took to many photos, and at the same spot; so much so the semi-trance devotee pointing at me. Others, advise me to move away (especially with that camera). But how the hell she spots me there? Her eyes are hardly open, let alone the angle which puts me beyond her vision.

My Indian friend later explained that I was blocking the 'energy' that flows around or towards her - like someone standing infront of your fan, perhaps? How could you not chasing him away?


It's a beautiful night - returning to my apartment for a night walk, I took the picture above. The moon has come to a full.

Had I prayed, for the best of Malaysian...

Post March-8 update:
* Datuk Mohd Zaid Ibrahim has since been elected as Law Minister in Prime Minister's Department - one of the few surprises when Pak Lah announced the new cabinet line-up.
** Thank godness I am wrong again. My prayer was answered :)