Act on race relations in Sarawak???

“Sarawak does not need an act on race relations to prevent racial conflicts as there is no racial problem in the state” – A meaningful statement made by our Second Minister of Planning and Resource Management Dato Sri Awang Tengah Ali Hassan.

That is a statement I quote from the Borneo Post dated 24 September 2008. It started to occur to me that perhaps politicians do make honest comments at times and not just the bunga-bunga comment in order to win hati rakyat! I myself believe that no matter who you are, comes the end of the day human will act as human; which is to speak out their honest views and feelings.

I am really glad to learn that Sarawakians, despite having diverse ethnic groups name it the Malays, Chinese, Melanaus, Ibans, Bidayuhs, Orang Ulu, and many other native tribes each with its own distinct dialect, beliefs and traditions, there is yet never been an issue to the people of Sarawak to enjoy living their life harmoniously with each other. But it’s a different case in the West Malaysia. This issue comes in the wake of the detention of a Sin Chew Daily reporter under the Internal Security Act (ISA) last week, when she had wrote a news report of former Bukit Bendera Umno division chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail’s alleged disparaging remarks about the Chinese community during campaigning for the Permatang Pauh by-election.

Lately racial issues have been used to trigger out the angriness among various groups in the society. Logically, this shouldn’t be the case at all for the West Malaysians. Sabah & Sarawak have more risks on being exposed to this issue since we have more ethnics groups with different way of lives, language, culture, believes and so on. So why do you think we the Sarawakians & Sabahans managed to stop this dilemma from happening? Some say because we have a good understanding of each other, or was it because we were used for things being that way since we have inherited it way back from our ancestors? Well, god knows why but I am just simply glad and thankful for that.

Dato Sri Awang Tengah added that in Sarawak, it’s okay if there is no act on race relations because the unity and the good relations among the people of various races exist naturally. And believe it or not, we even have Muslims and Christians living in one house and there’s no problem on that. NO JOKE!!! I tell you what, I myself have experienced renting an apartment with non-muslim girls and it was one of my best and sweetest memories ever to have stayed with them. They were really kind and were much fun too. I remember one time during Ramadhan and I had to fast, the whole house is food-free. You can’t even sense the smell of food around the house because the girls refuse to eat in font of me and what not. Not that I ever mind if they do, but I guess that’s just the way of them showing respect to my believes and religion. Well I can say that I respect them more for that.

I personally believe that inter-cultural understanding should not be forced upon people but rather cultivated with time. Signing Out. TheWonderWoman.

Lesson I Learn Today

Today i learnt that blogging should be treated as a hobby not a job and also not a place to make money. When we blog we should love what we are blogging, understand it as a reflection of ourselves and try to share it with the world.

Talking about the world, today I read about liveearth day. I learnt that our planet is dying and it is dying really fast if we do not do anything to help save it. By doing little things such as reducing CO2 usage, using energy savers light bulb and planting small trees, we could make a huge different in taking our part in saving our planet. So lets answer this call and make the difference, because if we don't save this planet we're living in, we don't have any spare one where we could live in.

Dad's Blessing ~ So sad that i almost drop a tear...

A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted.As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautifully wrapped gift box. Curious, but somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with the young man's name embossed in gold. Angry, he raised his voice to his father and said "With all your money, you give me a Bible?" and stormed out of the house, leaving the Bible.Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father was very old, and thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care of things.When he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search through his father's important papers and saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. And as he did, a car key dropped from the back of the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words PAID IN FULL.

How many times do we miss Spirit's blessings and answers to our prayers because they do not arrive exactly as we have expected?

TODAY'S's affirmation: "Today I look beyond the obvious and allow miracles to be created in my life."

Cat City - Malaysia’s newest “Gangsterwood”

I was really depressed and also shocked to learn that Kuching City is about to turn into the first “gangsterhood” city of Malaysia. One particular news on the papers today (The Borneo Post) really caught my eyes with the headline “Two friends attacked twice on the same night by same mob”

It was mentioned that the incident happened at RPR batu Kawa around 10pm when a 23-year-old man and his friend was forced to pull over to the side of the road by a group of about 10 men, believed to be intoxicated, before they were attacked brutally with dangerous weapons which resulted the 23-year-old sustaining a deep gash wound at the top of his head and his friend was injured near the mouth after his left check was pierced by a metal skewer. Even the arrival of the police did not seem to stop the mob as they continued to smash the victim’s car and ripped out the vehicle’s sound system and speakers before finally escaping into the dark alleys nearby.

Now you tell me. Are we leaving in Malaysia or the Bronx, where the society can easily get hold of weapons and guns? Where we often heard countless of vicious cases of assaults occurred every single day. Where do these thugs, mob come from? Are they our local Kuchingians or outsiders? We can only pray for our safety and such news would definitely be a nightmare that wakes us up from our deep sleep for all this time...Signing Out. TheWonderWoman

Sarawak's Layer Cake (Kek Lapis Sarawak)

Salam everyone… First of all I’m sorry for the long silence. I know I haven’t posted anything for quite sometime. I was sick for the whole week and therefore didn’t turn up for work. And my wireless connection at home? It only made me realize then, that I had stopped paying for my broadband bills since I can’t remember when. So I was left unconnected to the world. So you can pretty much assume that the past weeks weren’t so interesting for me since I had to stay home and do nothing other than to sleep and rest as being advised by the doctor.

But comes weekend, and when I was feeling much better; my mom had drag me along to a local pastry shop or maybe I shouldn’t say it a pastry shop since it only operated in a residential house in a nearby village not far from my house. It is a small business of making and selling Sarawak’s famous layer cakes also known as the Kek Lapis operated by a local lady named Puan Dayang Salhah. The “Kedei” (shop) was situated at Kampung Gersik, the village across the waterfront sidewalk. Puan Dayang Salhah started her business about several years ago right from her house. In the early days, her house was small and crowded.

But nowadays, when her business is doing very well she had managed to renovate the old kampung house to a bigger and better place. She even had installed her place with air cond. I was really surprise to learn that despite all the improvement and the upgrade of its “kedei”, she still managed to sell her Kek Lapis at the same old CHEAP price!!! For a quarter Kek Lapis the selling price is as low as RM10 onwards and for a full tray (9”X9”) the selling price is RM35 onwards. Where else can you find Kek Lapis that is cheaper than that? Puan Dayang Salhah’s business is doing really well that she had to prepare hundreds or maybe even thousands of printed boxes for her Kek Lapis to be shipped away to her customers both in the Peninsular and the West Malaysia. Even Malaysian celebrities would make it a must to stop down here to get their hands on this famous Kek Lapis whenever they were here in Kuching, Sarawak. If you don’t believe me you could just come and see it yourself here. There are countless celebrities photos being framed and proudly hang on the wall of this shop. To name a few, I saw the photos of Norman Hakim and Abby Abadi, Erra Fazira, Fasha Sandha, Umie Aida and many more. Infact, here’s a little confession to make…that night when my mom and I were there at that shop, guess who we met? The host of Jalan-jalan Cari Makan Show-Tengku Maria Sabri and Azlee of Senario. See? I told u celebrities do come to this place often.

Well that’s it for now. Just thought of sharing my experienced with all of you ladies out there. You might wana checked out the place since Hari Raya is just around the corner. And you know what, though buying cakes are not as special as making one yourself, but it definitely would save up your time and energy. Signing out. TheWonderWoman

Something to Ponder : The 4 Wives

There was a rich merchant who had 4 wives. He loved the 4th wife the most and adorned her with rich robes and treated her to delicacies. He took great care of her and gave her nothing but the best.

He also loved the 3rd wife very much. He's very proud of her and always wanted to show off her to his friends. However, the merchant is always in great fear that she might run away with some other men.

He too, loved his 2nd wife. She is a very considerate person, always patient and in fact is the merchant's confidante. Whenever the merchant faced some problems, he always turned to his 2nd wife and she would always help him out and tide him through difficult times.

Now, the merchant's 1st wife is a very loyal partner and has made great contributions in maintaining his wealth and business as well as taking care of the household. However, the merchant did not love the first wife and although she loved him deeply, he hardly took notice of her.

One day, the merchant fell ill. Before long, he knew that he was going to die soon. He thought of his luxurious life and told himself, "Now I have 4 wives with me. But when I die, I'll be alone. How lonely I'll be!"

Thus, he asked the 4th wife, "I loved you most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?" "No way!" replied the 4th wife and she walked away without another word. The answer cut like a sharp knife right into the merchant's heart.

The sad merchant then asked the 3rd wife, "I have loved you so much for all my life. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?" "No!" replied the 3rd wife. "Life is so good over here! I'm going to remarry when you die!" The merchant's heart sank and turned cold.

He then asked the 2nd wife, "I always turned to you for help and you've always helped me out. Now I need your help again. When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?" "I'm sorry, I can't help you out this time!" replied the 2nd wife. "At the very most, I can only send you to your grave." The answer came like a bolt of thunder and the merchant was devastated.

Then a voice called out : "I'll leave with you. I'll follow you no matter where you go." The merchant looked up and there was his first wife. She was so skinny, almost like she suffered from malnutrition. Greatly grieved, the merchant said, "I should have taken much better care of you while I could have !"

Actually, we all have 4 wives in our lives

a. The 4th wife is our body. No matter how much time and effort we lavish in making it look good, it'll leave us when we die.

b. Our 3rd wife ? Our possessions, status and wealth. When we die, they all go to others.

c. The 2nd wife is our family and friends. No matter how close they had been there for us when we're alive, the furthest they can stay by us is up to the grave.

d. The 1st wife is in fact our SOUL, often neglected in our pursuit of material, wealth and sensual pleasure.

Guess what? It is actually the only thing that follows us wherever we go. Perhaps it's a good idea to cultivate and strengthen it now rather than to wait until we're on our deathbed to lament

The Food Gallery, Tun Jugah Mall

I just love dining in at The Food Gallery at Tun Jugah Shopping Mall, Kuching. The main reason would have to be its Butter Chicken Rice dish and Laksa Sarawak offered by one of its many stalls which you may find impossible to get from anywhere that is better than here (at least that’s what I honestly think) Not just that, do you know that The Food Gallery is also one of the very few pork-free food courts available in Kuching? This was mentioned by its manager Mr. Justin Anderson when he was interviewed earlier this year regarding their promotions for the Merdeka month and the current Ramadan. He also added that with effect from the month of August, they will be providing delivery service for the convenience of all occupants of Tun Jugah Mall. As we all know, the Tun Jugah building was also occupied by a number of private sector organizations on its 4th Floor onwards. Therefore, by coming up with such service, I personally think The Food Gallery has successfully boost their marketing strategy and the whole management team definitely should be proud for having the guts to take up such challenges in order to reach their burning goals.

The Food Gallery currently has 13 food stalls operating at its premises, selling delicacies ranging from Japanese, Vietnamese, Chinese, Western, Malay and local favorites including the peninsular famous delicacies. The newly installed ventilation and exhaust system also provide patrons with better surroundings and improved ambience so that they can enjoy their food and drinks in comfort. However, as mush as I love this place, there are yet one thing that I would love to HATE!!! The OVERPRICED food!!! First, let me set it out clearly that in this case I don’t mean for all of the food stalls. It is actually just for one particular stall. I wish I can mention the name of the stall here but I guess not.

Let just say it’s the only stall selling “nasi campur”. For a plate of rice with a piece of chicken, a piece of friend egg and a scoop of sambal, you will be charge RM9.50. So now, do you think it was priced reasonably? If you say yes, than you must be Paris Hilton or just plain “the rich and the famous”. I mean, even in KL you wont get that highly priced for a plate of nasi campur rite. I once dined at the very exclusive-like food court in Midvalley, Megamall in KL. I had a rice with chicken, beef, and vege and that only cost me RM7.80 (I even had 2 meat in my meal here)

And to make matters worse, this particular stalls didn’t display any price lists in its menu when the rest of the stalls did. This what makes me believe that the owner can simply mark up his/her price whenever he/her feel like to; especially now in the month of Ramadan where people are willing to pay for any cost in order to get their stomach filled. But doesn’t the owner know that he/she could be fine for this if the matter were to be brought up to the Persatuan Pengguna here in Sarawak??

So, here I would like to remind my fellow users/customers/patrons/diners (or whatever you want to name it), do stand up for your rights. Take actions. The government has given us our right as users so make sure you use it. Do not let the government’s hard work becoming to a waste.

When You Think You Deserve Some Gratitude, Think Again...

A woman was waiting at an airport one night

With several long hours before her flight

She hunted for a book in the airport shop

Bought a bag of cookies and found a place to drop

She was engrossed in her book but happened to see

That the man beside her as bold as could be

Grabbed a cookie or two from the bag between

Which she tried to ignore to avoid a scene

She munched cookies and watched the clock

As this gutsy cookie thief diminished her stock

She was getting more irritated as the minutes ticked by

Thinking "If I wasn't so nice I'd blacken his eye"

With each cookie she took he took one too

And when only one was left she wondered what he'd do

With a smile on his face and a nervous laugh

He took the last cookie and broke it in half

He offered her half as he ate the other

She snatched it from him and thought "Oh brother

This guy has some nerve and he's also rude

Why he didn't even show any gratitude"

She had never known when she had been so galled

And sighed with relief when her flight was called

She gathered her belongings and headed for the gate

Refusing to look back at the thieving ingrate

She boarded the plane and sank in her seat

Then sought her book which was almost complete

As she reached in her baggage she gasped with surprise

There was her bag of cookies in front of her eyes

"If mine are here" she moaned with despair

"Then the others were his and he tried to share"

Too late to apologize she realized with grief

That she was the rude one, the ingrate, the thief

The Cookie Thief - by Valerie Cox

A Big Round of Applause to ZECON

Remember my blog on Zecon Toll-Incompetent? Well here’s one hell of a good news I’m dying to share with all of you. Zecon is back on the game people!!! They really take the criticism very positively. Guess what happened to me this morning. As I was driving to work this morning, I saw something very very delighting at the toll. A woman in her car in front of me was able to reload her toll card on the spot!!! And if you are wondering, yesss…it happened during the peak hours! (7am onwards) So I thought to myself, that’s new! I remember how I was madly pissed for not being able to reload my toll card on the spot or buy a new one last few weeks ago. They made me to come back at some other time where they feel it wasn’t too busy. And for that reason, it made me called Zecon’s Customer Service Line, which number was displayed on their toll card. I must admit that I was acting bit emotionally as I was at rage. I remember yelling at the innocence operator telling her that their service was the worst and I blame the management for introducing the new reloadable card system, which to me only creates hassle to road users. So what exactly happened this morning was that they (Zecon) had gathered enough attendants to get ready at the booth to receive payments made from the card sales. They also come up with the new practice whereby road users who wanted to reload their card were instructed to drive forward past the toll and to wait at the waiting bay (the middle space between each booth if you notice) for their card to be reloaded. In this case, it is to avoid long lines of cars waiting to go past the toll whenever there is a car in need to do some reloading. So there you go! Zecon has proved to us that criticism and disapproval from the public won’t stop them from achieving their goals to succeed from their new marketing strategy. In fact the criticism was their reason to improve their services. All they need to do is just to accept things positively and at the same time to polish their problem solving skills and they are ready to fight back against any complaints and censures. Well done Zecon!!! A big round of applause to Zecon Toll Concessionaire Sdn. Bhd. Signing out. TheWonderWoman

Couldn’t They Just Be Glad?

Ok here’s the thing. The Budget 2009 has been declared and I personally have no objection whatsoever concerning it. To me whatever being offered by the government is good enough. Better something than nothing right? But to my despair, there are still minority groups of people who did not appreciate what the government has done. Being granted the 1 month bonus, they now demand for 2 months bonus; plus an increase in housing allowances. Well this scenario is just too sad for me to admit...couldn’t they just be glad for what they’ve been given? Considering that our country is at its critical stage of inflation and the unfavorable economy condition, what the government has to offer showed their effort in making sure the citizens wouldn’t have to suffer any further. It’s like parents trying their very best to provide their children with their wants, though it has exceed the requirement of the children’s basics necessities. So my fellow Malaysians, please take sometime to think as regards to this matter. Try putting your feet in others shoes, say the people in India, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam etc. They too work hard, paid their taxes, and had to struggle damn hard to survive the brutal economy. And what do they get in return? Nothing! Not a single support from their government! Now, would you still care to tell me how unsatisfied you are with the Budget 2009? Signing out. TheWonderWoman

Bazaar Ramadhan

Hey everyone…ok let me just say that I’m sorry for being so silent for the past few days. Well you know it’s a long weekend this week and so I’ve decided to take my holidays that I’ve always wanted. The Budget 2009 is over (and yess I am very please with it. BONUS people,BONUS!!! That’s all that matters) , and then it’s our Merdeka celebration (go Pak Lah! though he had a bad sore throat yet he still managed to let out the MERDEKA shout for 7 memorable times) and now it’s the month of patience some say which is Ramadhan. So what should I be writing down in my blog today? Hurmmm… I guess the “Bazaar Ramadhan” would be interesting. Well ok then I’ll start with what is Bazaar Ramadhan.

Well basically the Bazaar Ramadhan only happens once a year if you must know, which is in the month of Ramadhan (the fasting month for Muslims all over the world) It is a place where you can find hundreds of food stalls selling variety kinds of mouth watering delicacies. During the month of Ramadhan, Muslims are being tested on their patience whereby they are forbidden from certain acts of doing such as eating, drinking, and behaving badly towards people around them etc etc. And as you can tell, the most challenging part would be to abide on no eating and drinking from the crack of dawn till sunset for most Muslims. However, these tests would be paid off comes the end of the day. This is where the Bazaar Ramadhan plays it role. This giant food fair offers variety kinds of food from bubur pedas, ayam percik, laksa penang, kuih bongkol, ais kacang etc.(erkk...writing this all down had made me drool very grossly!! =P)

BUBUR PEDAS

AYAM PERCIK

So people of Sarawak-Kuchingians, why don’t you give it a try. If you never been to any of these bazaars you are missing a lot in life (at least to me that is) Where you can find it? Try the famous Bazaar Ramadhan at Jalan Satok. Then there are also bazaars at Semarak, Plaza Astana, and Jalan Sukma to name a few. Enjoy…and Happy Breaking Fast; Selamat Berbuka Puasa!!! Signing out. TheWonderWoman

Ramadhan the Holy Month of Islam

What is Ramadan?
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. Islam uses a lunar calendar - that is, each month begins with the sighting of the new moon. Because the lunar calendar is about 11 days shorter than the solar calendar used elsewhere, Islamic holidays "move" each year. In 2003 Ramadan begins on Oct. 27; in 2004 it will begin on Oct. 15.

For more than a billion Muslims around the world-including some 8 million in North America-Ramadan is a "month of blessing" marked by prayer, fasting, and charity. This year Ramadan precedes Christmas and overlaps Hanukkah.

But while in many places these holidays have become widely commercialized, Ramadan retains its focus on self-sacrifice and devotion to God (Allah in Arabic).

Why this month?
Muslims believe that during the month of Ramadan, Allah revealed the first verses of the Quran, the holy book of Islam. Around 610 A.D., the prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, used to go out to the desert near Mecca (in today's Saudi Arabia) to think about faith, society and God.

One night a voice called to him from the night sky. It was the angel Gabriel, who told Muhammad he had been chosen to receive the word of Allah. In the days that followed, Muhammad found himself speaking the verses that would be transcribed as the Quran.

At many mosques during Ramadan, about one thirtieth of the Quran is recited each night in prayers known as Tarawih. In this way, by the end of the month the complete scripture will have been recited.

Why do Muslims fast?
Muslims practice Sawm, or fasting, for the entire month of Ramadan. This means that they may eat or drink nothing, including water, while the sun is up as well as making a special effort to avoid sins. Fasting is one of the Five Pillars (duties) of Islam. As with other Islamic duties, all able Muslims take part in Sawm from about age twelve.

Fasting serves many purposes. While they are hungry and thirsty, Muslims are reminded of the suffering of the poor. Fasting is also an opportunity to practice self-control and to cleanse the body and mind. And in this most sacred month, fasting helps Muslims feel the peace that comes from spiritual devotion as well as kinship with fellow believers.

During Ramadan in the Muslim world, most restaurants are closed during the daylight hours. Families get up early for suhoor, a meal eaten before the sun rises. After the sun sets, the fast is broken with a meal known as Iftar. Iftar usually begins with dates and sweet drinks that provide a quick energy boost.

How does Ramadan end?
Ramadan ends with the festival of Eid al-Fitr, which in 2003 occurs on November 26. Literally the "Festival of Breaking the Fast," Eid al-Fitr is one of the two most important Islamic celebrations (the other occurs after the Hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca). At Eid al-Fitr people dress in their finest clothes, adorn their homes with lights and decorations, give treats to children, and enjoy visits with friends and family.

A sense of generosity and gratitude colors these festivities. Although charity and good deeds are always important in Islam, they have special significance at the end of Ramadan. As the month draws to a close, Muslims are obligated to share their blessings by feeding the poor and making contributions to Mosques

Learn more: http://www.jannah.org/ramadan/intro.html