Graduation Day: University Malaysia Sabah.

Having to experiencing life as a student in university was really a fullest time for me. I always remember the time as a freshie on the first year in Malaya University is the most memorial moment in my life. That was a long time ago. Last Saturday is the day for my sister. She just finished her studies in Master in Business Administration. Having able to attend her convocation graduation was such a tremendous flashback to my life in campus.

My families attended the first convocation session where the two pro chancellors were inaugurated by the chancellor of the university. Almost half of our time in the hall was filled by long speeches by one of the two pro chancellors that is Chief Minister of Sabah, Musa Aman and two honorary degree recipients and two presentation speeches. What I want to say is that the speech is too long. I realized most of the guest cannot hold on to the long speech and some of them fallen to sleep.

After have been waiting for 2 hours (luckily the hall not freezing cold), its time for the graduates to receives their scroll. In the nick of time, there is my sister walking on the stage and receives her scroll. I only managed to take some blurry photo of her with a regret of not having to bring my video camera that have a strong zoom. Even my aunt's latest digital camera cannot zoom in to that distance without having my hand shacking, and ended up having a blurry shaken photo to memories.

The ceremonies ended at 12.30 in the afternoon with everyone getting out and not able to find my sister and even my mother, father and both of my aunts. This after event crowd not really affected me as much as I been in more crowded when in UM. So, the problem is that I need to search my family in crowded place as I'm not doing it for long time about 2 years. The poor hand phone signal was really frustrating me as I'm not manages to keep in touch with them as I was holding both of the cameras. If I'm not manages to find them, its means that there is no photo for that day.

At last, a call made through my brother's and my phone, and I manage to locate them in an instant. Photo was taken rapidly and only able to take about 50 plus photos although my camera able to take more than 600 takes. Most of the photo was taken with my aunt's digital camera as hers one can take more quality photos. Luckily, I manage to change the resolution to high as my aunt has change the camera setting to low. If that happens, the entire photo taken will be wasted.

Campus Election: Its not the matter of fair election, but rather the fairness treatment to the students itself.

This is problem is not new for UM student. As an ex-UM who I aware and notice of the political behaviors of the student, lecture and administration, I fully agree what has been posted and written in Lim Kit Siang’s blog (see the link below).

The real matter with the election in UM is not fairness in election, but to the fair treatment to its own students. It is because the student representatives itself wheatear they are pro government or not, they can’t do anything to make the study environment in the campus improving. During my studies in UM, I realized that who ever elected as faculty representative are only interested to boast his images as a political images and neglected its jobs to fights for student's welfare and the facilities benefits.

First, there is no improvement of the facilities in the campus and the student dormitory where they stay. Many have been elected and many have failed to do their promises and some of them really said to me that “You have to know that I’m a student and have no time to care about this thing”. So, how the student want to elect a person that only want to be a representative so that he can talk loud about political matter that not even our problem at all.

So, most of the problem in UM election is not the unfairness, but rather than the result of the unsatisfying student who choose not to vote. Most of us not even know that the elected member of the student council not even a majority as the people who votes is less that half of the student who not votes during my campus years.

Why, because most of them who run for the election not really near fighting for the students itself but for self alter ego so that their resume look nicer during interview. Second, the reason for them to run for election is to satisfying their political taste and mostly become the instrument for political party such as UMNO, PAS and might be DAP itself. Election in campus is not really represent the real welfare of the student itself, and was polluted by the political propaganda that they even not involve to and their job on there is just study.

So what is the point of having the Persatuan Mahasiswa Universiti Malaya if the student itself still suffer of the bad facilities in the campus where I still believe now the student have to bear malfunction of the library internet system, bad condition of the lecture hall, intolerance condition of student’s dormitory and unorganized transportation system within and outside the campus.

The problem is not the fairness in the election but rather the fairness to its student itself. If the student not treated as fair as the money they paid to the universities, how can we fight for fairness on the election within campus. Majority of the student in UM I believe choose not to involve to this political war among the real political party in Malaysia. I believe campus student should be give a chance to have clean election with out the interference of the political party such as BN, PAS or DAP.

Still, I personally support DAP especially YB Lim Kit Siang that raise this matter to public, but I really against that DAP any attempt to involve to campus election for the welfare of the party itself. Campus election is not intended to be a political platform as what Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim done on his days in UM. So what if he is a leader in student council, so what he has many supporters in the campus during last time, still I think he failed his purpose when he become too political and neglected to address the welfare of the student itself especially in UM.

If the elections in the campus become an extended political platform for any political party in Malaysia, I rather AUKU stay on. I rather not seeing UM become an extended ground for any political struggle among the great party. I rather not seeing those students who enroll to universities to study, but become an instrument to political fight that may be disturbing the studies environment and purpose for many of them who want only just to get their degree. I rather not seeing any election in campus so that no political party even the government can interfere with the education system or the student itself.

I’m not really against the involvement of student in political platform, but if the one who elected to be a representative is too obsess with his or her out campus political ideology and neglected to address the welfare of the students itself. What for us to have a representative or a student council who always talk about the involvement of pro-government, and pro-Islam or others racial party when most of the students experience no water to bath and clean, food provided neglected without any recommended nutrients (not tasty), intolerant condition of study environment and less facilities to the disable and so on.

Link
Lim Kit Siang: Free, fair and clean varsity student elections (2)

Daily Express: 42 years as Malaysia did not exist in 57

Daily Express today highlighted an important issue of the years that we should know about the age of Malaysia. Datuk Joseph Pairin Kitingan the President of Parti Bersatu Sabah and the Deputy Chief Minister of Sabah was quoted in Daily Express saying.

“I think (National Day) should be the emphasis without saying anything else, it’s National Day for unity,” he said “because Sabah and Sarawak also attained self-governance in 1963, which is on 31 August.”

“You must tell the truth, you must base it on historical fact, and then you’ll feel proud. You can’t confuse (the people),” he said.

Daily Express : 3rd September 2005

So, the formation of Malaysia as he said and to all the Sabahan is only 42 years. Anyone should know it. The politician and academician should know it too. Mentioning about the history of Sabah and Sarawak, few of the peninsular resident know about it although it was stated clearly in school’s text books last time while I was studying SPM. Today, I aware some cut out a portion of the Sabah and Sarawak history in Sejarah SPM syllabus to make way more to Islamic History. No wonder no one realized that and gets all the fact wrongly.

Still, there was one person that aware. A Chinese daily press quotes the Information Minister Datuk Seri Paduka Abdul Khadir Sheik Fadzir that 31 August is the official date for the independence of Malaysia while 16 September is academic. As I quote again on Pairin on his respond on the statement said.

“Come on, when was the constitution signed? Was it not on September 16 1963? Is that academic? That’s the constitution creation of Malaysia. In the newspaper, the editors must look at this and rectify it,” he added

Daily Express : 3rd September 2005

It seems, Pairin felt surprised on the false remarks made by the Information Minister. It seems that Datuk Abdul Kadir unaware that there is a printed document stated as a proof of the date of establishment of Malaysia Federation and the editors of the Chinese press should do a research and confirm on the validity of the date. Due to the lack of information and the misunderstanding purposely or not, the government have to make a statement to clarify the matter. As a Sabahan, there is some doubts over my mind the intention of this mislead information.

It’s quite frustrated to know the mislead information by the government to their civilian. Malaysia is not the only country was misleading by their government. As previously, the American government misleading information on Vietnam War and the famous Iraq war lead to anti government sentiment by his people. Malaysia also plays some part of hiding some of most valuable historical information over some issue especially during the Malaya Communist Party confrontation.

Pairin as I quote again

“We don’t mind celebrating together the Semenanjung’s celebration. But the greatest feeling that we are Malaysian is from the moment we created Malaysia. Otherwise, you are creating confusion in your mind, your heart and the younger generation cannot accept that Malaysia is 48 years old because it is not the fact,” said Pairin.

“The Prime minister said ‘tell me the truth’ and, this is the truth. We are proud as a nation of Malaysia being formed in 1963,” he said, adding that is not the view of PPS alone, but all Sabahans.

Daily Express : 3rd September 2005

Certainly, as a Sabahan, I agree with his statement. Many issue can be mention as why Sabahan not happy with the confusion made on behalf Sabah history. The truth, Sabah chooses to join Malaysia Federation as it’s an invitation by the Malaya Federation by Tunku Abdul Rahman. That’s why, 25 agreements that once raised by Datuk Pairin itself that cost him Sabah Chief Minister seat exist. Still, Datuk Pairin are still relevant to Sabah’s political platform and he manages to climb up back again and grab a seat on the Cabinet Minister. This is the highest point that he can stand as there will be no more of chances for him to be Chief Minister of Sabah again.

“Everybody, the leadership, must be wise in this. What is so difficult about putting everything in practice it's not difficult, because you say you want to build a Malaysian nation by 2020," he said, adding that he had been saying this even when he was Chief Minister.

"It's now a matter of everybody looking at this, realizing it and doing the right thing for the people. You want to have a good strong foundation of being Malaysia. Thus you start where it is historically correct, to give confidence, value and perspective.”

Daily Express : 3rd September 2005

What Datuk Pairn asking is only the honesty form the federal government of the correction of the fact, and cannot be interpreted as an act to against the BN party. The sincerity that many requested by the people of Malaysia, and it seem is the hardest thing to do. Nevertheless, should the politicians and leaderships aware that in reality, Malaysian not an easy to deceive people anymore as many years ago. Many of us have to vast knowledge and information of what is our rights. It seems like a practical joke that most of today politician still using the same technique that was used during the post independent era to gain support from its people.

Link Source:
Daily Express: 3rd September 2005

Political Heavyweight YB Lim Kit Siang goes in Bloglitical Platform

I’m not sure if YB Lim Kit Siang is the first Malaysian politician who joins the blogsphere in Malaysia. Still let’s assume he is and that would be great. If not, that would be great too as YB is one of the heavyweight politician in Malaysia political platform. Before YB Lim, Jeff Ooi considered as a most controversial bloggers in the blogsphere, and the coming of YB Lim as in Malaysia blogsphere add up more political controversial issue in Malaysia Blogsphere.

There is no doubt that the person who writes in LimKitSiang For Malaysia definitely is YB Lim itself. Jeff Ooi on his reply in a comment verified that he personally know YB Lim and had received an e-mail stating the authenticity of his blogspot blog.

Jeff,

I read a comment on Kit's blog asking how can we be sure of the blogger's claimed as Lim Kit Siang himself.

That makes me realise, yeah, true. It could be someone else. But, judging from the quality of write up there. I guess it is the man himself.

However, I have emailed DAP main email to asked for verification of the blog to be YB Lim Kit Siang's own blog. Have also requested them to make public verification on DAP website. Hope this comes soon.

Jeff, if you already have obtained verification, do let us know. Thanks.

JEFF OOI says:You see, many who wrote comments in this blog used to shoot on their feet for speculating without checking facts. It could be the same case in other blogs. You did the right thing by askingthe right question to the right people. YES, I know Kit well enough to confirm he writes him own blogs. We exchanged emails yesterday, in which I told him he is now one of us.

Posted by: dyslexia.mc2 at August 31, 2005 01:27 PM

Screenshots: Kit is now one of us

The verification of YB Lim’s blog certainly came to the end as DAP Malaysia website published his link and the issue over the authenticity of the blog came to the end.

Link
DAP Malaysia
Kit’s Blog

PPS Ping: Pocket PC Friendly

The PPS Ping new appearance not really attractive, but it is compatible to any devices. Many of us rather choose not to see the new PPS Ping layout design, but i find out that it look nice on my Ipaq pc pocket internet explorer any maybe to any mobile hand phone and PDA devices. I don't really know why PPS Ping turns to be simple layout, but I can guess it maybe because Aizuddin want it to look nice on the mobile devices. (I think)

The second good thing on the PPS Ping is the exclusion of the special column for certain blogger. (No need to mention who it is.) I'm not against this special column, but I think that its time for every bloggers to be equally treated in the portal where everyone has the same chances to be read in the ping.

The next great thing of PPS is the directory page. Now all the blog can be categorized according to their blog theme and the confusion to all reader can be eliminated. I can choose to read topic of my choices without having to swarm and click the entire ping in the PPS Ping. Every bloggers has its chances to be read by his target reader according to the topics categorized.

I haven't figure out what is the use of the PPS RSS. I think that it actually related to the special column that was taken away from the PPS Ping. Reader can go to the page or subscribe the special RSS services on their browser and read all the post written by their favorite bloggers without having to open a webpage. Great idea!