Administration

After The Inquirer’s recent publishing on the awful truth about bloggers and HokkienLang’s departure from the blogging community, I began re-evaluating my existence as being one of them. That explained my absence for the past couple of days.

There are far too many bloggers out there in this large cyberworld, let alone the Malaysian blogging community at PetalingStreet.org. Some have even gained celebrity-blogger status like Kenny (of kennysia.com), Claire (of minishorts.net), Kimberly (of kimberlycun.com) and lately, my favorite Kurt’s; and we have to admit that the lot has indeed a great talent for writing whilst preserving their entertaining bits. Of course then we have those who blog with their daily unique freak shows by killing their readers with details of their boring lifes, bundled with mass dosages of word-of-the-day profanities and their uncontrollable urges of using …’s. Unfortunately a common trait among Malaysians/Singaporeans writers.

Why then, did I decide to take on the role of just-another Malaysian blogger?

My role as a software developer has logically moulded my brain. I speak .NET and Java languages daily with my team members and design UML-diagrams to my superiors and clients. Almost flawlessly. English, to me, has since developed into second-nature. Computer languages would sometimes paralyze my English capabilities to a shocking disaster, that my Dad felt his strict-English brought up was a complete failure. Hence, my gentle introduction to blogging by the sweet Gialicious. She then further introduced me to great reads like Karen (of karencheng.com.au) and our Malaysian-made Kenny. These great writers later inspired me to begin blogging, in my attempt to untap, if any, hidden creative linguistics inside me.

Being the only offspring in my family, my shameful thirst for attention has gotten the best of me. I still remember feeling left out during the initial days of writing, often being disappointed by the almost zero number of people visiting my website. Then some dude noticed my discontentment and tried delighting me with his frequent spaming on my Chatterbox and lovingly brought his mates over to flock positive (yet unrelated) comments on my articles’ while leaving their business cards (containing web links) in case Russian chicks and money laundering were of my career interests. I often, and still am, envious of the huge number of comments left on Paul (of paultan.org)’s blog; and that the most popular hangout in the Malaysian blogosphere is Kenny’s blog. Look at his TagBox. It is like an mIRC server, serving the once insanely popular #mamak channel! I guess I just wanted the sense of belonging. Wanting to be heard at the spur of the moment. Maybe Master Yeap was right when he said, “an only child is a spoilt child” almost nine years ago.

Living in Brisbane has lavished my Malaysian background with the many different ethnic cultures of people I meet daily. It has enriched my mind to accepting new cultural beliefs and also greatly enlightened me on life, as a whole, does not evolve around traffic jams, indifferently rude behaviors and screaming bosses. I have continously controlled my urge to share my wishes of bringing in a little love and cheer to Malaysia through blogging, but I fear the misinterpretation that I might bring into the clan of zealous hooligans. Kenny and Suanie had my greatest respects when they openly blogged about the recent APs (Google cache) and ear-squat incidents respectively. In a country with dividing hatred for free speech, it is just plain difficult to know when you will be making headlines in newspapers, accused of the little things that do not matter. You know what, it is just difficult pleasing everyone. It just is.

As I browsed through my first postings, I was utterly disappointed with the direction my blog was heading towards: nowhere. Spiegel Online was probably right. Majority of the bloggers are lame; I am just one of them. My initial goal of this blog was to create an atmosphere for me, in writing, to reflect on my daily being and further strengthen myself to living tomorrow’s life’s journey, realizing I am not perfect. I think I need a change.

My blog needs innoculation.

My life needs innoculation.

Angie visited the Becks at their England home. While Vic and Dave went into the kitchen to pour her a glass of their finest wine, she placed a C4 under their couch. Unfortunately she got busted by one of their security dudes. The Becks sued. The Pitts cried.

On a serious note, here is the real scenario:

Nguyen Tuong Van. 25-year old. Australian. Trafficked about 400g of heroin into Singapore. Arrested. Hanged. The End. Finito.

But instead…

The Australian people got pissed; and decided to shit all over Singapore.

Australian Prime Minister, John Howard:

“… It will have an effect on the [Australia-Singapore] relationship on a people-to-people, population-to-population basis.”

Australian Attorney-General, Philip Ruddock:

“[Nguyen’s death sentence is] a most unfortunate, barbaric act that is occurring.”

“… drug trafficking carries a mandatory death sentence in Singapore…” the exact words announce on the flight’s PA system while flying into Singapore. You have been warned. There was no excuse for the crime committed.

Nguyen’s story was indeed a sob one. Yet again, heroic. He was trafficking enough drugs to make 26,000 doses, for the sake of paying off his brother’s debts. He was well-aware of the consequences and risks from the minute he strapped $1.3 million worth of heroin onto his body; but still he carried on the job that eventually cost him his life.

Singapore was not as kind as her Indonesian neighbor, whom in the eleventh hour decided to free 24-year old Australian model Michelle Leslie from her 15 year jail term for possessing two Ecstasy pills in her bag. Remember Schapelle Corby?

Singapore’s Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong in an ABC interview:

“… it’s an enormous amount in terms of the misery it can cause to addicts, to their families, to the destruction of lives, and we have had previous cases similarly with young people with similiar quantities and similar circumstances, and we have allowed the law to take its course.”

A commendable decision by Lee has unfortunately led the Australian public to accuse Singapore of being “barbaric”; but in fact these drug laws have been enacted since 1975 and nobody has ever accused it of being ever “barbaric”. Why now?

Because a fellow Australian was in another country’s jurisdiction, they so decided to make it their problem. Australians are sometimes very passionate about the little matters that they shut their minds, not knowing that Singapore is not susceptible to pressure from outside parties around the world after being led by their previous iron-fist Premiere, Lee Kuan Yew. However many demonstrations they might decide to throw outside the Singapore embassy in Canberra, they have to understand the little or no authority they have over Singapore’s final decision, as the crime was not commited in Australia in the first place.

There was no need for Melbourne lawyer Robert Richter to emotionally lash out at Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, now that the execution has ended. The dead can’t walk. Scrutinies and arguments, hence are not needed.

Some poor sods protesting outside Singapore’s High Commission in Canberra yesterday.
Courtesy of Reuters

In other words, get over it!

The Malaysian Pop artistes include:

1. Siti Nurhaliza
2. Azah Aziz
3. Restu
4. Feminin
5. Lidyawati
6. 3G
7. Noryn
8. Aida Rahim
9. Noraniza Idris

I’ve heard of Siti Nurhaliza. But who the hell are the remaining artistes?

The international Pop culture has a tremendous influencial impact on the Malaysian culture, especially in music and fashion. Please enlighten me on each of the above artistes’ hit single in the Malaysian hall of fame charts.

Many of us have grown up shutting our minds to Malaysian-made music, especially if it’s sung in the Malay language. A few exceptions include the beautifully harmonized a cappella ballad in Innuendo’s Belaian Jiwa, the lovely Hijau by Zainal Abidin and pop princess Sheila Majid’s Lagenda. But then we have to remember: No music is bad music; somebody, somewhere in the jungles of Malaysia must like it.

There have been a few sensational Malaysian pop classics played back-to-back with international pop music by Hitz.FM. Classic hits like Lo’s fucked-up-but-catchy Evening News and Too Phat’s Anak Ayam were repeatedly played over the airwaves to capture the market; but that’s about it. These hits are now almost forgotten (if worse, unheard) classic buried in the ruins of their Malaysian origin alongside with P. Ramlee’s Getaran Jiwa.

A few Malaysian-made indie groups are popping out here and there, killing audiences softly with their music in local cafes and nightscenes. They should be grateful to celebrity-bloggers like Kenny Sia, who promote their music to the local blogosphere. I only wish I could hear their music played at least once a while over the airwaves.

I have been gradually drifting away from the Pop music scene after The O.C. made their debut on Channel Ten. My opinion on Pop music now: they suck. Before James Blunt started taking off clothes in music videos, I thought he was one of the best indie pop vocals since Ben Jelen. Ben Jelen was just unfortunate that he didn’t make it big to the charts as his album was released in the advent of the Hip-Hop/R’nB era.

I only wish gig parties (which features indie emo groups like Jimmy Eat World and Copeland) could be held in little cities like Brisbane (and perhaps KL). If I haven’t came back, I would have flew down to Sydney to give my love and support to Jimmy Eat World (left), as they are appearing on tour with Green Day on December 14th this year.

Triple M and B105 FM, the two popular Brisbane radio stations, play a variety of local and international music to their listeners. Current Australian artistes aired over the airwaves include Missy Higgins, Ben Lee and Australian Idol’s Shannon Noll. Though they are all in the Australian local Pop scene, we have to admit that they are great songwriters and singers. It’s very unlike the Malaysian local music scene, where music is just noise or blah. Sometimes it’s just downright distasteful, resulting in Malaysians looking for better music abroad like Les Nubians.

Recently many Australian groups are beginning to bloom. I have been so fascinated with alternative rock/indie groups like Motor Ace, Youth Group (right) and Thirsty Merc. They are just great bands who sing well-written lyrics and are just great with their musical instruments. They write songs we can all relate to: the way music was originally intended.

I’m just also glad that Brisbane’s Powderfinger made a few successful hits across the globe. I read that they still perform locally in Brisbane clubs. Youth Group has also made a few debut singles in The O.C. and One Tree Hill, which are just fantastic. Bands like these actually enlightens the world that live music just ain’t only about rock, but sweet alternative classics like the remake of Alphaville’s 1984 Forever Young by Youth Group.

As I grow older, I guess I have to continue my quest to find bands that play good music, especially with songs I could relate to at that period in my life. Jimmy Eat World’s My Sundown is still a great reflection of my current self. Just hope there will be a day I could meet them in their gigs. Be it in Australia or the damn corporation we call the USA.