Selamat Menyambut HUT TD Ke-75

Malaysian Army

I’m sorry this date passed by me when I was in Tioman. But here’s wishing all my Malaysian army friends in here a happy 75th anniversary.

The army has always been the backbone of the Malaysian Armed Forces, and is a battle proven force. However, I am quite disturbed after listening to a ceramah organised by an opposition political party that tried to emphasise a fallacy that Chin Peng, the leader of the now-defunct Communist Party of Malaya, was one of those freedom fighters who was also responsible in bringing about the Independence of Malaya.

Let it be known to the members of the civilian population, and present members of the Armed Forces. History is for us to remember and learn from. If ever was the CPM a part of the force for independence, it would have been during the Japanese Occupation of Malaya from 1942 through September 1945. Pre-war years saw the CPM in acts of sabotaging the economy and was bent on setting up a communist government in Malaya. That was its primary role, through and throughout.

Many citizens would probably remember the Malayan Emergency (1948-1960), but few would remember the men of the Malaysian security forces (Armed Forces and Police, malay, chinese, Indian and other races alike) who fought the communist menace during the Second Emergency (1968-1989). Who was Chin Peng then but the director of such horrendous acts committed by the members of the CPM. Tell the police, who lost 16 men in one ambush in the Kinta Forest Reserve; the Army who lost countless more; and the Air Force who lost a helicopter and crew in Gubir; that Chin Peng fought for the Independence of Malaya.

I am sickened by people who try to twist history at the sake of those whom have fought gallantly to preserve the independence and peace of this nation, just to gain some sympathetic race-based votes.

Sick bastards.

A Poetic Trip To Tioman

The weather that day was all amix
But that wasn’t stopping me from getting my fix
I was adamant on getting back underwater
No matter the odds, come what may, whatever

Cloudy evening at Salang

That night I drank without going to pee
At Salang’s best local Kedai Kopi
The coffee served was black and made people dizzy
The tea was coloured light ana a little bit foamy

Coffee

The next day the main group arrived
Looking like a bunch of people who have never dived
Some looked perky while some looked well
Some were totally seasick because of the swell

Soyak reef was the first dive site
Although the surge was strong the dive was alright
I was happy with what Soyak had to show
One of which is this little guy below

Chromodoris coi at Soyak

Next we went to dive the Salang wreck
Teeming with life is a matter of fact
I took photos as so did the rest
But mine will never come out to be the best

Bubble coral

The boat sailed back to the Salang jetty
The waves were big and none too pretty
But no matter how bad or how big the fright
The day ended with this beautiful sight

Soyak Island

The boat chugged away towards Tiger Reef first
Some people were puking out their breakfast
The waves were big with the oncoming tide
The boat pitched then rolled side to side

Flag flying over Labas

The viz was not great and the surge was strong
But nothing a good dive can ever be wrong
There was plenty to spot and plenty to see
Like this little green Nembrotha milleri

Nembrotha milleri at Tiger Reef

I wasn’t being gung-ho nor was I being brash
I decided to take photos without using my flash
To say that it looks like Sipadan isn’t a comment that’s fair
But there were Yellowtailed Barracudas swimming everywhere

Sphyraena flavicauda at Tiger Reef

Then we went to one of my favourites at last
A little rocky outcrop that people call Labas
Although we skipped the swimthroughs there was plenty to see
Including this little guy whose name eludes me

Chromodoris sp. at Labas

The dive had almost ended as did the camera’s battery
I turned off my flash and switched to the cheap LED
Then I spotted something familiar to me
It was a beautiful Hypselodoris bullockii

Hypselodoris bullockii at Labas

At 30 meters at Sawasdee I saw this little shrimp
It may be small but I doubt it’s a wimp
Suddenly it looked beautiful I thought I was narc’ed
But you all know even if I was I would never give a f**k

Cleaner Shrimp at Sawasdee Wreck

My dive computer screamed foul, my dive time was running low
I had to commence my stops fast by ascending real slow
A shadow above me gave me a cause for alarm
Another figure doing deco stops – it was Bulu Dalam

Deepblu doing his deco stops

Thus endeth my diveth ’twas time to return
To terra firma rich with lizards and fern
Diving makes me look like a junkie high on dope
But it’s my only key to sanity, the bringer of hope

Fisherman DC's dive boat and Tioman

Night fell upon Salang, in the sky looms a cloud
Even with the threat of rain the night owls were out
All the divers were there and partied at best
While poor Nofarndiver and Miezegreat had to finish their test

Salang jetty at night

The crowd was dancing, the bass kept the beat
On a cool night the crowd could feel the heat
And A.J the towkay Kedai Kopi let the music out of the bag
With all the money he’s earned he should buy a new flag

A.J's flagpole rag

There were myriads of activities being done on the last night
Some were dancing, some were drinking heavy and light
With A.J’s ghetto blaster playing the latest cuts
There were still people who preferred playing cards

Cards session

So there have you my trip-report poem posting
You should all get back to work else your job won’t be ever-lasting
For now the bars of Salang will be silent, no one to ring the bells
So have a nice day, people, somewhere else

Have a nice day - somewhere else

Ai Neng Bu Neng Gou Yung Yuan Dan Chun Mei You Bei Ai?

I know I’ve put this one up before, but I love parts of the lyrics – it reminds me of something, someone, sometime:

I particularly like these parts of the song:

“Shuo bu shang wei shen me wo bian de hen zhu dong, re ai shang yi ge ren shen me dou hui zhi de qu zuo”
(Couldn’t really say why I became very filled with initiatives, if you fall in love with someone anything is worth doing)

“Wo xiang da sheng shun bu dui ni yi yi bu she, lian ge bi ling ju dou cai dao wo xian zai ge dan shao”
(I want to say loudly that I cannot bear to be apart from you, even the next door neighbours can guess my feelings right now)

And this is of course, my favourite part of the lyrics:

“Wo xiang jiu zhe yang qian zhe ni de shou bu fang kai”
(I want to just hold your hand like this and never let go)

“ai neng bu neng gou yung yuan dan chun mei you bei ai?”
(Can love forever remain innocent without sadness?)

For that, is a valid question now…

Neighbourly Politics

Jeff Ooi runs for DAP - Kit Siang's Blog

Someone who lives not too far away from my house (same section in USJ) is now a candidate for Jelutong in Penang. Jeff’s blog has always been an interesting read; something that reflects the thinking of a somewhat apolitical man-on-the-street.

Now that he is running for a political party, I cannot expect that same feeling when I read his blog again.

He’s just joined in the ranks of the poly tics – the many blood-sucking parasites: be they from the BN or those who oppose them.

Immersion – Part 2

Passing through Labas

It’s 3.21am.

Slightly more than 24 hours from now I shall be back here again, where I belong: underwater. This will be my first recreational dive trip for 2008.

I can hardly wait.

Tired sick of KL.

So Sick

Yup! I sometimes feel so sick of it…

And I’m so sick of love songs
So tired of tears
So done with wishing you were still here
Said I’m so sick of love songs so sad and slow
So why can’t I turn off the radio?

What My Birth Date Says

This is what the Facebook application says about my birth date:

July 9, 1966

Lucky Color: Turquoise
Personality Strengths: Savvy, Wit
Personality Weakness(es): Over-confidence
Successful Career Path: Information Technology
Sense of Humor Style: Cliched
Adjectives to Describe You: industrious, adventurous
Description:
Mature and understanding – you are the wise person of the group. Cautiously optimistic by nature, you have a better and more balanced perspective on things are you as compared to the people you associate with – everyone turns to you for advice, as they should!

I’m A Sucker For Cute Chinese Politicians

Hannah Yeoh Tseow Suan - DAP Candidate for DUN Subang Jaya 2008

Isn’t she cute?

That was what I thought when I saw her pics in the papers. I have my vote hught to myself, “Wow! Finally DAP has wised up and has put pretty young candidates instead of dinosaurs like Kit Siang and Karpal.” I mean, hey! She’s pretty, and cute, so I am entitled to admire her, right? Sorry, Honey. But you are cute too.

Then I drove past Taipan tonight and saw a group of DAP supporters walking down shouting their slogan while dishing out posters of Hannah. I slowed down as this pretty young thing tried to past me some posters. Okay, I am an UMNO member but I have the right to my own thoughts and speak my mind if and when I have to. After all, I am known as the opposition within the party for my dissenting, yet true, views on things. Then I realised it was Hannah herself, and there she went all sweet and smiling saying to me, “Please vote for DAP, please vote for change.” With you looking like that, you have my vote anytime, dear.

But realistically, how is DAP able to bring about any change at all, if any? I do believe in having a stronger opposition voice as it is healthy for democracy; however, I do not believe any of the opposition parties have done itself any justice. I saw a DAP banner hanging somewhere near TTDI that says CRONIES PROSPER, CITIZENS SUFFER. That exists everywhere, in every political party. That cannot be helped as power corrupts absolutely. And there has never been real constructive opposition: no one party has actually come up with a comprehensive plan to tell the voters how they could better the current policies. Instead, they will just criticize policies for the sake of criticizing and getting political mileage. Show me a political party that is different for once, and I am sure there will be followers of the middle-of-the-road kind of politics.

I also agree that there should not be any discrimination towards the building of houses of worships in (new) townships. The local housing law says that a certain number of area in acreage has to be met for churches to be built, but in biasness, it also states that an area for a surau/mosque must allocated. This is unIslamic. Islam does not prohibit others from obtaining the same rights to worship, and to build their houses of worship. However, this could be done in a better manner. An area within the township should be designated, preferably on the fringes of the estate for this. While different sects of Islam can pray together in the same mosque, this rule does not apply to Christians. There are rites non-Catholics cannot do in a Catholic church, and Protestants do not believe in invoking the saints like Catholics do. Okay, I shall not go any deeper into this as (1) I’d leave it to the Christians to dwell upon this matter (it’s okay for a black to call another ni**er, but it won’t be safe for a white to call him so), and (2), I’d be writing more on theology than on the cuteness of this DAP candidate of ours. So what I am trying to say is, while there will or may be one mosque for all, there will be at least 5 churches sprouting in a residential estate; not that I have any problem with that – but that would propel this somewhat tolerant nation’s malays (I won’t term them as muslims) to turn this country into another Islamic Republic of Iran, or Talibanistic Afghan, by swinging their support over to PAS. That would be disastrous – what more when you have one senile senior office-holder calling others orang utan, and the President of the party snubbed an opposing candidate by refusing to shake hands with the latter – so unIslamic is their behaviour.

So, DAP will really have to work hard to convince the general voting population that they can actually come up with a better plan(s) for this country other than crying foul all the time. Voters are not stupid anymore, nor are they emotional as they were before.

Now, going back to our pretty and cute DAP candidate, she was born and bred in Subang Jaya, a true Subang Jaya thoroughbred, which makes her more interesting as she would be very conversant in the peculiarities of the township. She is a lawyer who graduated in Tasmania in 2001, and prior to becoming an election candidate, worked as an event manager.

All that makes her very attractive to me and from not wanting to vote, I wanted to score DAP = 1: BN = 0
(well, the looks count too). Then came the clincher: she is married to an IT engineer.

The lucky guy.

DAP = 0: BN = 0

Time to figure out where to dive when others vote.

Immersion

Tioman

Last weekend was bad. Even though it was expected for the so-called Dragon’s Tail to hit the East Coast, I did not expect it to hit as far south as Tioman. Ferry services were out until Saturday, and HB told me of people being stranded on Perhentian. I looked at the moon last night and I expect it to be at its waning quarter phase this Thursday. So currents should be okay again.

Latest NOAA sat pics for Semenanjung and Sumatera

Looking at the latest NOAA pic above (as at 2222 UTC 24th Feb 08) there is a huge cloud cover blanketing all the way from Tioman to the Klang Valley. I expect Tioman to experience rain or thunderstorm today and tomorrow. And looking at the bigger picture (below) as the winds will be blowing from east to west, rain is to be expected over Tioman until Friday. So with rain, visibility will not be that great, but that is not going to deter me.

Regional sat photo

The rest of the gang to be led by Ridrahim will be joining me on Friday, I think, and in total about 20 odd divers will be flocking the same dive center, not inclusive of walk-in guests. Well, I am going to be busy doing UW photography.

Right now, I am going out to look for some screws and nuts for attachments, and then send the other notebook to install a new OS, then go hang out somewhere.

Tonight, I’ll have to dismantle my twin-set assembly, and go back onto single tank set.

Nomination Day

Flags

It’s nomination day today.

798 Parliamentary and state seats are now up for grabs.

Whoever wins, I still lose.

I will never ever have faith in any of those elected to represent the people because after 50 years and 11 previous general elections, all of them forget that they actually represent the people and not to become the people’s boss. Be they from either side of the political fence, they always forget they are there.