Screenshots: Jeff Sparrow... Ver3.0

One month after the surgery, I finally had the eyeball stitches removed this morning.

Healing process is on-going, vision is at 6/9 unaided, but astigmatism is still causing some strain until full recovery, which doctor said will take another 30 days or so.

You can see my right eye is still puffy. Last Friday, I accidentally gave the operated eye a rough rub while asleep. Tears flowed and the eye was sore until today. The doctor 'scolded' me for not seeing him immediately, but he was relieved -- and me too -- when he examined that my eyeball is all right.

Meanwhile, I have to wait for the right time (before or after the General Election expected in March, if not much later) to correct the early-stage cataract, and opportunistically the high-myopia, on the other eye. It may sound rather silly that an eye operation is so dependent on when the Prime Minister is having his inspiration to call for polls. Yes?

It's no fun wearing contact on just one eye, and I'm not sure if this is how I should appear on the poster if I am selected to contest in the coming general election as a Parliament candidate. But like it or not, what you see in the picture will be my 'new look' for the moment -- Jeff Sparrow Ver3.0 ;-)

Do say Hi if we happen to cross each other on the street.

NOT ALL CHINESE ARE RICH. At the hospital today, my wife was playing interpreter to an old Chinese lady, in her late 60's, who was having language problem with the registration counter. She was negotiating with the hospital staff that she could only come in the afternoon of Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for follow-ups.

The lady apparently had come for post-cataract surgery check-up. She, too, had had one eye operated and was telling the registration staff, through my wife, that she has to wait a while to raise enough money for operation on the other eye, which will costs around RM2,000 all in. The doctor had advised her not to delay the operation any longer to avoid blindness from seeping in.

In her advanced age, she is still a productive retiree, working as a general cleaner.

She walks in a very slow pace, however, we saw nobody accompany her to the hospital. She paid a solid RM65 of her own money for the follow-up, with RM60 going as consultation fee, the same amount that my insurance company pays on my behalf.

She then paced herself to catch a bus home. We very much regretted that we didn't give her a lift as I was in the queue behind hers.

It dawned on me that not all Chinese Malaysians are rich the way the Umno politicians had generally claimed, in order to keep the National Economic Policy. And I do see my Malay and Indian brothers and sisters struggling as city dwellers in the Klang Valley. They need a social security protection, especially the one that takes care of their healthcare bills in old age.

Meanwhile, the AP-fed political cronies ferry from one golf course to another in helicopters, never mind that Mahathir himself hates golf, and Abdullah likes golf and yachting, on the contrary.

I hope to be able to champion this in the Parliament one day.

Comments

pheeweet!

Back to 5 blogs per day routine? ;-)

Posted by: balow | January 16, 2008 01:15 PM

Brother,

Ini gambar untuk election ke? Handsome.

Posted by: zaiman | January 16, 2008 04:57 PM

Pass Jeff....."it looks like you.....!"

Posted by: zorro | January 16, 2008 05:38 PM

Jeff, glad that you finally have the stitches removed .

Anyway, slightly off-topic, its really disgusting that the goverment is trying to give "freebies ( as if its from their pocket)"to the ordinary folks everytime when election is around the corner by paving the tar road etc. Isn't this some sort of bribery?
Malaysia really boleh!

ps: some road in opposition strong hold are always left to rot, with countless potholes. Aren't opposition supporters tax payers too? Or do opposition supporters exempted from road tax etc? EC can you kindly stop hibernating and explain to us how you can allow this to happen? Or do you answer only to BN?

Posted by: pgkia | January 16, 2008 05:52 PM

Jeff, are you under any witness protection plan? you look completely different. I may not recognise you to vote for you.Hehe

Posted by: Elvis | January 16, 2008 07:15 PM

You know what, why don't you put in the side bar bank account numbers, bank, and names of persons you believe deserve a help.

Nowadays it is easy to transfer funds through banks. No need to go through middlemen like NST/others.

We your readers will donate lima ringgit, sepuluh ringgit, or even dua ringgit, which is nothing nowadays to most of your readers.

We trust you.

Posted by: Hansac | January 16, 2008 07:30 PM

Take care jeff, waiting eagerly for your entry in our political arena voicing the concerns of the common malaysian

Posted by: chanlng | January 16, 2008 08:17 PM

Financially I am very much richer than my office clerk who earns less than RM1500 pm. I am driving a Merc and she is driving a Savy but if she sells all her inherited lands in the kampong, she could buy all my KL assets and has more cash than I. Who is richer?

Posted by: cto | January 16, 2008 10:09 PM

Jeff,
Great to see you back with wide open & clearer eyes to see more of the things unfolding before the GE. Surprisingly and what a shame that at your age you have this cataract thing usually associated with people of retirement age.

JEFF OOI says: Come to think of it, I should have just retired and "make don't know" about what is happening to this country.

You should have diverted the old woman to Tun Hussein Eye Hospital in PJ which can offer great discounts for those who go there “shabbily dressed” to look “poor”.

JEFF OOI says: I had my eye operation, and met the old lady precisely at Tun Hussein Onn National Eye Hospital.

Anyway with better eyes take a look at the latest happenings on Day 3 of the Royal C I where the former Chief Secretary declared he was not influenced by anyone. As the Chief Office Boy is he influential in appointments?

And more details of No Trace of Lingams' Prepaid Numbers; Lingam to Confirm Clip Images; ACA Senior Officer No recall of election petition or investigation of closeness between Eusoff Chin and Lingam at
http://powerpresent.blogspot.com/2008/01/more-pics-day-3-rci-no-trace-of-lingams.html

Posted by: mwt | January 16, 2008 11:26 PM

wah, looking sharp!!! here's something to tickle your eyes! :-)

Malaysia, Singapore in New Cockfight Over Water Pact

http://sophiesworld-sophiesworld.blogspot.com/2008/01/malaysia-singapore-in-new-cockfight.html

Posted by: sophie | January 17, 2008 12:27 AM

you have my vote! if only we had more candidates who thinks like you out there across the whole of M'sia.... sigh.... that's wishful thinking.

Posted by: philcp | January 17, 2008 01:29 AM

Jeff,

Looking good huh for elections ? Like K Thoyol? (cheecky smile)

Anyways, it is sad that we do not have a net for these old folks. Although economically not very good, but I think old folks should be allowed to when they can still be productive - I know people including my parents are still working, not for the money by more for the contribution to the economy and society.

Our welfare department is in a mess. No social security netting for these not so well to do folks - muhibbah - Malay, Chinese, Indians and Lain-lain the likes. there is no proper planning for them to be taken care of and there is no foresight from the authorities to help them and acknowledge them for their past contributions.

It is obscene that politicians in Malaysia would want to politicised social security. This issue in the USA is the third grail of politics and therefore there has always been a bi-partisan effort on decisions made on social security.

Yachting, golfing, motoring, all the expensive hobbies people could think off. Not wrong but immoral when people in authority ignore the necessary before embarking on their game.

How sad!

Posted by: Dangerous Variable | January 17, 2008 09:35 AM

INTERNET does not operate in a legal vacuum.
Read this before you post a comment in this blog!

Screenshots

Thinking Allowed. Thinking Aloud.

Jeff Sparrow... Ver3.0

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