Screenshots

Jeff,

You may be too optimistic to believe that the young babies may not be that greedy and lousy. I think I heard something over the 8 o'clock news last nite about a survey conducted which revealed 30% youths are willing to be corrupt. The picture is no better if we were to take a look at primary kids. When we were as young as them and in school, any cheating in class during exams will get us severely punished. Is it so today, or is it some black sheeps in the teaching profession are already corrupting these young minds to cheat? I had long ago, at Bungaraya forum, said that for anything positive results to be achieved, it must be 'example through leadership'. However, I must rewrite it as 'any results, positive or negative, will always result from example through leadership. For as long as the present leaders won't begin to lead in example through leadership to make clean, don't even dare pray for a better future.

Jeff,
If you notice, the M'sian flag is always printed wrongly in advertisement. Below the blue color, it should be red stripe instead of white.

In your photo, the newspaper printed wrongly!! Check it with the flag the veteran is holding :-)

Frogo, I think the white stripe probably represents Malaysia's new state of Labuan, Putrajaya or Langkawi. All Mahathir's babies.

Mahathir has already changed the constitution, so what if our Malaysian flag is altered a bit. Close one eye lar.

On a side note, I think that the photos are really excellent ! Pity there are no photos of the other majority races.

Jeff, perhaps you can post up some photos showing the other races. Or do they not exist at all ? I wonder why ?

JEFF OOI says: I don't wear tinted glasses. When I see through my viewfinder, I see one race -- the Human Race.

orangminyak... lol

maybe the other races didn't bother to show up coz can watch live on TV :)

frogo, that's an interesting observation. After searching the wikipedia, I found that that's the flag of the Malaya used from 1950 - 1963. That time there were only 11 states and the white stripe follows immediately after the blue patch.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Malaysia

Jeff,
Very appropriate pictures to remember and reflect for all Malaysians especially for the politicians after Tun Hussien Onn.
They should reflect whether the country has been and is being led in the right direction for the last 25 years .The answer is an unquestanable and unalterable NO .Now that we are about to celebrate our 49th birthday as an independant nation, we should identify all our policies that have, in every field, to name a few,education,economic policies,judiciary, civil services,discrimination on so many grounds,freedoms of many varieties,criminal waste of national resources and rectify them for the country's future.To study what are the policies and their implementation which have stood in the way of National Unity, which has deteriorated immensely for the last 25 years and make conscious and brave changes so that Malaysia can develop and prosper so that Malaysians can see each other as Malaysians and not as Malays, Chinese,Indians,Ibans, Kadasans etc. Can the people hope,at least, that we will be on the right path to nation building before we celebrate our 50th Merdeka?
I heard our Information Minister talking about flag flying for Merdeka Day sayinf not make it a "Malay Affair" and he had some advice to the Chinese in particular.Is he saying something or is he SHOOTING from the hip or SHOOTING his mouth off as usual without thinking how to listeners especially non malays will feel and think.These are the type of gentlemen talking down to us,threatening us not to be racial with our comments and cause disunity! My God!
KSN

Dear Jeff,

i applaud your statement that the veterans fought for the honour of the nation with their blood, sweat and tears. Unfortunately, not many share our sentiments. Even the Supreme Commander of The Armed Forces does not value those who died for our freedom. Why do i say this? well, for the last few Warrior's Day events at the National Monument, he has not even gone there to lay a wreath instead, delegating this to duty to the PM. Is this the respect shown to the Glorious Dead? Is this how The Supreme Commander shows his respect to those who fought so that he can rule in peace? Many former servicemen i have spoken to, have expressed their disgust that VVIP's can go to the home of a corporate big shot to pay respect to the deceased but don't even have the courtesy to visit those who gave their lives for Malaysia. I'm disgusted to be a Malaysian.

1.The usefulness of the unsung heroes may now have ebbed low to mere human props at every Merdeka parade.

2.Not those trekked by the OxBridge Boys.

3.The veterans did not mug textbooks or do many a McKinsey consult

4.The veterans fought with their blood, sweat and tears to defend the maruah dan martabat

5.The Fat Lady with Gucci bag has gone fatter, we shall prevail.

And Jeff,my personal favourite :6.Silver spoon-fed all the way from diapers to convocation and wedding reception.

These quotes has all the makings of a feel good Petronas MERDEKA AD, hope Yasmin from Leo Burnett is amongst us.

Darth Haiza
If im not mistaken, they have ruled out such event is against the Islamic practice.

cereal-killer,you must have got ur sign in name from watching CSI. Possibly you are right ,But the fact remains that Pak Lah was flanked by the police and army chiefs and did lay a wreath in the rain on Warriors day.And our Commander in Chief being the only KING in our history who was trained at the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst and being a harcdore fan of the Tottenham Hotspur football club ,possibly has his reasons for not attending.But one fact i know for sure ,its not Unislamic to fight and die for one's nation. Amen

The act of paying respect to the war dead by leaving a wreath at tugu negara is indeed prohibited, not by God , but by muslim scholars. Don't leave fate of your future into their hands. Stand up for mankind, nationhood and rationality in this 49th merdeka celebration.

What?? Are u guys pulling a fast one or what? Why is it prohibited? Please explain/rationalize...

Mithos ,its not a Myth.

Fact 1: 31 Julai – Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi hari ini menyempurnakan istiadat meletak kalungan bunga di Tugu Peringatan Negara sempena Hari Pahlawan 2006 sebagai memperingati wira yang gugur semasa mempertahankan tanah air.Cuaca redup dan persekita -UTUSAN MALAYSIA

Fact 2:Islam has prohibited the keeping of statues in the Muslim home. By statues is meant complete, solid figures which have not been disfigured or otherwise defaced. Their presence in a house is considered sufficient to drive away the angels, who represent Allah's mercy and His pleasure. As the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) said, "Assuredly the angels do not enter a house in which there are statues (or figures)." (Reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim; the wording is from Muslim.)
so,comprende ? the TUGU is a couple of statues of A BAND OF BROTHERS who went down for this nation.

Not only that ,over the years ,the N.A.A.F.I has lost its glory days from selling first grade LUX FLAKES AND LAVENDER IMPERIAL LEATHER to the now PERNAMA ikan bilis and kicap tamim.There are no more booze in the Messes so that commandos can booze out in town and bash the locals.NO more 21 gun salute to fallen soldiers,and my saddest day ,when they banned THE LAST POST.And the only ROYAL SALUTE some ex-soldiers take today comes from some BROTHERS of Ours who call themself CHIVAS. Thats the day i started playing Roger Whittaker's THE LAST FAREWELL.

Whether Islamic or Un-Islamic is not my concern. My reasoning is this: if the PM who is a muslim can go there and pay his respects, why can't the King go there too. I would understand if he has a previous engagement that cannot be avoided so that he can't attend but this Sandhurst graduate could go to Sandhurst and review the Sovereign's Parade in place of QE2 but for the last few years in fact since he came to the throne, he has not once paid tribute to the fallen at Tugu Negara. Is this the behaviour of the Supreme Commander? Don't tell me that he can't put it in his calendar that Warrior's Day should be kept free for the 1 hour visit to honour those who died so that he can have a throne today? All previous King's have attended except him. I don't mean to be disrespectful to the King but if you have no respect for those that died, then you certainly don't deserve my respect, someone who has served 10 years defending this country from all enemies, foreign and domestic and who would have gladly given his life for my home. not anymore.

The mentions of "Tugu Peringatan Negara" reminded me of the complaint by Chin Peng (and CPM) in his memoir -- "My side of history".

As a member of a generation born well after the formation of Malaysia that was spared the brutality of the Second World War, and the uncertainty during the Emergency period, I learned about the CPM only through reading.

National hero or not, the fact that CPM had played an important role in our independence should be given recognition.

Come this August 31, (west) Malaysia will be celebrating her 49th birthday. As rightly pointed out by several Malaysiakini readers (e.g.
http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/26327,
http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/34412)
some time ago, perhaps, it's time that we forgive and allow Chin Peng to return.

Pre-Independence Generation, My Hero

They are my hero.

They reared their own food. I have McDonald’s drive-thru.

They had to cycle minimum 12 kilometres to school (at least my dad did). I had my driver waiting for me.

The had to burden the struggle of a newly liberated nation. I benefit all the freedom for free.

Hidup Malaysiaku!

And to remind ourselves, what it was all about:-

MERDEKA!!!! MERDEKA!!!! MERDEKA!!!!

It is a sad day when we are in need of heroes. It is a truly a sad day when independent and courageous people are extraordinary among Malaysians. It shows how much is lost among joe public.

To those who have expressed their disgust with SPB His Majesty the King should note that His Majesty did not just go to Sandhurst for a Military training. In fact His Majesty served in the Malaysian Army for many years serving our country and was even almost killed in one of the conflicts.

I have never served in the Malaysian Army nor have I laid a wreath honouring our fallen heroes at the Tugu Negara. So you guys should be more disgusted at me and disrespect me for not being patriotic enough. But, just please leave His Majesty out of it coz he's done his part for Malaysia!

JEFF OOI says: I stand the risk of being accused of derailing my motto of THINKING ALLOWED, THINKING ALOUD. But yes, let this commenter'sview be the last say. You do not discuss the King's duty in this country. Please go back to my blog topic and context. Rekindle the Merdeka Spirit and spread the words: HIDUP MALAYSIAKU!

Jeff,

Last week I received this SMS from a Malaysian aquaintance working for an international coffee chain in KL:

"What's the time difference between Malaysia and Sarawak?"

So sad. I didnt know whether to be angry or ti be sad. To make it worse, this person works in the communications function of the business.

Nutkraker,

Dont be sad & don't blame them, b'cos before we follow the standard time, the time different between east & west of Malaysia is 1/2 hr.

Maybe he/she is lost someway before we follow the standard time :)
cheers