Tag Archives: MUSINGS + SCRIBBLINGS

Divorce Anniversary

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Say I’m funny but I have never for once been invited to a divorce anniversary. Cos there never will be one. I think a reunion of odds would be interesting and certainly groundbreaking. With gifts of wreath instead of flower bouquets, and songs like ‘I Hate Myself For Loving You’ by Joan Jett, ‘Tainted Love’ by Soft Cell, or ‘Love Hurts’ by Nazareth, humming in the background played by our local town band, guest in sombre clothes wearing dark sunglasses unsmiling, and a hate speech for the opening that sounds like “Thank you all for coming. Looks like everyone is here except our own better halves and kids whom refute this occasion. Both of us as you all know couldn’t stand each other for the longest of time. The quarrels, the fights, the Cold War, we even had territorial lines taped onto our floor which looks like circuit boards and it extends beyond the kitchen, and into the fridge. Thank God we had two bedrooms and two toilets so we could sleep separately. It was a disaster living in a house with two televisions, and feeding on burnt sausages occasionally sabotaged with spit. If not for the divorce granted, one of us could be charged for murder.” 

Wishful thinking.

Psychopath, Sociopath

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One a psychopath, the other, a sociopath.
Both shares similar traits.
Both harbours similar ambitions.
Both aims for world dominion by:

  1. aggression, threats and exploitation
  2. stunting other countries military might and economic progress
  3. hijackng the world’s natural resources and trade routes to extort
  4. infiltrating other nations border
  5. killing civilians and decimating infrastructures
  6. kidnap or exterminating legitimately elected leaders
  7. collapsing and replacing elected governments
  8. seizing then occupy others country
  9. disregarding pacts and diplomacy
  10. spitting allies, belittling non allies, issuing threats and severing ties
  11. provoke others belief

The consequence:

  1. world in chao
  2. military servicemen. operatives and propaganda machines went on overdrive
  3. military bases, radar detection systems battleships, fighter planes plummeted and destroyed
  4. armament stockpiles reduced
  5. servicemen wounded, displaced, captured, killed
  6. falsifying civil and military losses and casualty statistics
  7. prices of goods and resources soars across the board
  8. allies and non allies distance themselves and join/form new coalition
  9. mass exodus of displaced survivors
  10. cronies and ringleaders benefitted from stock market instability

Dear Psychopath,
Look around you.
Understand that this world has revolved and evolved with passing time.
The bloodlines have diluted.
Our world is ever-organically changing. Everyone has moved on.
Adapt to it.
Your glory time is over.
So, lay down your ambition to revive a greater state of Israel.
No one welcomes your invasions upon invasions to claim back what was once the Promised Land God had giveth your Phoenician forefathers, then known as Canaan with borderlines extending from present-day Israel and Palestine, to western Jordan, southern and coastal Syria, Lebanon and continues up to the southern border of Turkey. This land which God hath once divided and commanded between the twelve tribes of Israel as their permanent inheritance.
You no longer has privy to the states surrounding you.
Have you forgotten that your ascendants once replaced God with a golden calf and was made to wander in the wilderness for forty years as punishment?
And that the present day State of Israel stands on once was Palestinian soil?
Right now, it is evident that your Iron Dome and David’s Sling technology has failed, ousted by others advancement and technological capabilities.
Weaponry is for defence and security. Not for bullying and waging war.

Dear Sociopath,
You are an impediment to what could be achievable in the first place.
But your approach is entirely wrong.
Haphazard, aggressive, hurried, inconsistent, inconsiderate, boastful, and egoistic.
You behave like a little boy in tantrums and at the same time, a mafia hitman.
There is no one word to describe you except that you are a sociopath.
You are harming the world and endangering your own countrymen.
This world doesn’t belong to you so don’t expect everyone to submit to your wishes.
Federal funds should not be used to enrich yourself.
And the pinions of the mighty eagle is not your personal lifeboat.
Don’t you realise that clogging a waterway with double toll gates feels like a house with two roofs and a car with two steering wheels?
The Pope was elected by Cardinals, certainly not with the thirty pieces of silver you kept inside your pocket.
The Pope, not JD is a theology expert.
You can’t be Jesus by plastering your face onto his poster image.
By the way, the patient on the bed looks like Epstein.
Jesus preach peace, forgiveness and love. And performs healing. You preach war, revenge and hate.
And you can’t annihilate a civilisation. Not with your level of stupidity.

May God save both your souls and the souls of your cronies.

Bibi the Rogue

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As many have already predicted, the talks between Iran and the US sizzled and died. And sources mentioned Bibi, not Trump, made interfering ad-hoc calls to JD in between the talks that stretches a record 21 hours which brings to mind the urgency of Bibi, and a bigger question, “What makes a superpower subservient to a tiny nation’s request?” and “In what way does it benefit Trump, and the US separately?” As the dust settles, it is now clear who initiated the war. And that is the culprit who bombard Lebanon so as to disrupt the peace talks.

But why? It is as if Israel has much say in that decision making. Does the Jewish community in the US controls its economy? Do they govern the country as well? Is US a protectorate? If not, why does US needs to pay tithes to Israel a vulgar sum of USD3.9b annually? If these were all true, then it all points to the fact that the Rothchilds, Rockefellers, and his gang are the puppet masters. That is the big elephant in the room. And they are the very people who systematically and methodically crafted capitalism. That brings us to our next question. Why now?

It seems they have lost in the wealth race. The rest of the superpowers and its charlatans afterall has univocally abandoned the dollar, triggered by loose cannon Trump who publicly criticises every head of state of its ally so much so that the world now urgently bypasses the US, their fortress of refuge where they were once wanderers of the desert plains. They are staring at failure where once the world is their playtoy.

The next phase is going to get uglier. And the stock market will nosedive beginning with inflation since the US created yet another choke point for ships sailing into the Straits of Hormuz. If every ship needs to content with a double levy, oil prices will soar creating an inflation and as a result, the stock market will dip to below ground zero. As was predicted earlier in my essay, they are either pitching for a world war to happen by profusely stirring the economic cauldron, in the hope of ushering every country back to the starting line where it all began or is Bibi ushering Armageddon into our doorstep?

The first party to be victimised is Lebanon. Independent video reports has shown that civilian high rises now fell like bowling pins due to the continuous barrage of missiles raining through Lebanon’s sky, many of them, equipped and laced with illegal cancer causing chemicals. Who could have guessed Bibi’s objectives are much bigger than Trump’s. It is evident that Israel wanted a much bigger pie, to gobble up the whole of Middle East. That’s why Lebanon. And hopefully not the world. It is a misnomer that they have always hung on to the idea that the world begins with and belongs to them. Whilst completely sidelining other civilisations that began much earlier such as Egypt, China, India, Greece and Rome.

It is Bibi’s right to hold on to that non factual belief but the world has evolved. And the world has waddled him by. And waging war to conquer is unfortunately not God’s will. Bibi needed to work on his own insecurity and come to terms with himself. That, no one can help him. Only idiots such as Trump can. By sticking out his neck on the guillotine meant for Bibi.

Trump the Clown

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It is a fact that the world now zooms in on Trump
and how he manages to outrun his own shadow on the global arena with his mob-style tactics, antics, stunts and malfeasance. That includes his wild claim of whizzing pass three cognitive tests with flying colours, beating all the past US presidents hands down, until someone mindfully investigated his claim, and reveals the sad opposite.

As an alumni of Wharton, Trump has also whiz pass Jho Low in the turkey awards category for malfeasance, hands down. With hips jiving to the groove of YMCA, he is possibly the only turkey that has been handed the prestigious Noble Peace Prize for fascism, for xenophobia, for coup, for kidnapping, for extortion, for threats, for harassment, for murder, for defamation and for crimes against humanity. All these things he do so he could capitalise from the market volatility through his incongruent announcements that kept the world visibly shaken while he discreetly plunders, making backdoor deals, or extorts sipping his Diet Coke while lazing around inside the White House.

Cleverly, he personas as a brainless, clueless, and reckless fool with chronic mental issues, that which will stand him in good stead if and when fate so decides to cave in on him, or that when he is forcibly impounded for the horrors he has churned. If only the world could recognise him as a brilliant crook who disguises himself as a delusional, deranged and decimating tyrant.

This world need not second guess Trump’s actions or inactions. His strategy is simple. To bully then rob using strong arm tactics allowed him. His mistake, bypassing congressional approval. Thus making all his doings illegal.

On the surface, Trump openly threatens countries with ridiculous demands and along with it, a shelf life, failure of which he will, as Commander-In-Chief of the US Defence Forces, not hesitate to create hell for you and does a hostile takeover. In the guise of regional stability. But what remains obscure and hidden from public view is that on submarine level, countries fearing aggression and oppression will most certainly appease him. That makes Trump an extortionist of gigantic proportions. And a hired hitman. That is if the cut he was offered is substantial enough to cool off his attempts.

Backdoor deals is what he is interested in. To enrich himself using US’s superpower status as his means to squeeze others dry. Therefore the sudden tariff implosion, therefore the threats of foreign invasion, and the list goes on and on…

Trump carefully picks his targets. First, he initiates a verbal spar, then he guises his terms with threats. He created such a ruckus towards Panama, Greenland, Canada, Venezuela and Iran. Those whom resist, will pay the price. But zooming in on Iran was a huge mistake. The counter attacks unleashed by Iran crippled his and his counterparts armaments, military stockpiles, battleships and warplanes resulting in his troops being captured. Many infrastructures were flattened. In short, his plan backfires and what exploded in his face is the refusal by his allies to cooperate. Many civilians were wounded as a result.

But a narcissist like Trump will not give up. His image matters. Not unless by impeachment, civil unrest or mutiny will he vacate his seat, That seat which he conveniently hides under to parlay his impending cases.

Many questions his loyalty to the country when his own son was not enlisted to the frontline, just as the ‘No Kings’ rally picks up steam, did he intend to back down from the assault. But not before he shifts his target to Cuba which Trump has openly announced.

Sidetrack to national interests, he is aware that the US is now trailing behind other countries in the world economy statistics and in order to save it, he wants to reset the scenario. He wants to usher every country back to the starting line where it all began. Only then will the US have a fighting chance in the global economics outlook. Thus he is also seen to be profusely stirring the cauldron to create whirlpools, and hopefully sinks or swallows up his rivals. It is akin to a person having a bad hand in a card game, then overturns the table.

But Trump being Trump, his head is now bigger than his body. He still insist on US to be the global leader but can he, a chronic narcissist with incurable traits? Everyone now recognises that he is ruthlessly offensive, dogmatic, delusional, deranged, damaging, decimating, and myopic. And Iran afterall has issued a statement saying that they don’t need to bomb the US. US will eventually detonate itself with Trump helming as President.

History will see him as the jerk of his country and the Joke of the Century. He is unofficially now nicknamed ‘The Butcher of Iran.’ Such is he. A man with a thousand faces and no EQ. If he can, he would certainly want his image carved in stone and included onto Mount Rushmore. The same way he has cheekily inserted his own name alongside Kennedy’s at the Center of Performing Arts much to the dismay of Kennedy’s descendants. But not when he has tarnished the good name of his country. The world has turned against him. The Middle East has reconciled, Canada and Europe has expanded their economic collaboration with BRICS, and Yuan out of nowhere became the ideal currency for trade. And all the weapons US exported is now a suspect. It is a gross miscalculation and underestimation the US now pays. All because of one man’s aggression. While countries like China, Russia and North Korea folded their arms and watches in glee. No thanks to Trump the clown who has now turned the Whitehouse into a circus.

Top Salesman

Posted by fiveloaf on

The US has been a terrific salesman of military equipment and armaments. They have successfully coerced many countries into believing that they are vulnerable to threats, invasion, danger and is unsafe. And after creating panic, the US craftily sold them security and protection, in the form of military bases worldwide. Just like sowing grains on other peoples land. And that’s how US positions themselves as an international police. Akin to a pest control company sowing termites to remain relevant, therefore they crafted wars to remain relevant. So that their armament factories stays relevant. And just like cars that can go obsolete with newer improvements of technology, so can armaments go obsolete with time. And so, the best way to dispose them is to use them, while observing their destructive capabilities. But because armaments are expensive to manufacture, US tries to coerce other countries to share the costs and partake in their reckless venture. That is how the US recovers their return on investment. And if no country helps them, the US is in deep trouble. 

If you want to gather honey, don’t kick over the beehive.

Posted by fiveloaf on

Imagine the whole world is one human body and each country is a muscle, a limb, an organ or a bone, each dependent on the other for survival, connected by tissues, arteries and veins, and now imagine if that person is you. What would you do if you fall sick? Would you seek out a doctor to find a cure, or would you remove or destroy that organ which causes you to fall ill? I would imagine most of us prefers the first option, but today, the world has witnessed one person severing the veins of his once good hands which comforted him, and went on to sever the veins of his once good legs that aids in his mobility. And now with his legs and hands, fingers and feet, muscles and bones and tissues all removed, can he still walk up to the stage, stand, lift up his hands and declares he is the undisputed King of the World?

I reckon that is what Trump did to himself.

Please excuse my impoliteness Mr President, but you should be made to understand that because I am Asian, I was brought up to view the body holistically, as a whole, because that is what Eastern medicinal practice is all about. We believe that one organ’s structure and survival is dependent on the other. That is perhaps the fundamental difference that sets us apart and it extends to philosophy, lifestyle, mindset, viewpoint, and approach. In the East we even care for your soul and it is us that gave you spirituality. Every recognised religion came from the East.

It is fine since our philosophy is different and you are more attuned to your gun slinging Cowboy mindset, drawing your pistol at anyone you considers a threat, or intends to rob, but it is beguiling how your allies up North, down South, the far East, and now the West?, have all walked towards the sunset and deserted you. That you should by now, be peeing in your pants. And since you like to assert your powerful Western ideology onto others, here’s a piece of advice from Dale Carnegie that you’d find useful and enlightening.
‘If you want to gather honey, don’t kick over the beehive.’

  • Kris Lee 2026.

A Mad Imbroglio

Posted by fiveloaf on


What is now happening around the world
is a frantic catastrophe that will have serious implications in the long run. And I can’t visualise the tail end of it, because of its domino-like effect, and not when two resource hungry hard knocks leads the pack, both with overlapping economic objectives, trying to out manouvre their imagery rivals because of their refusal to share the pie.

But there is an undertone to it. And it stretches back to biblical days. One hard knock thought the origin of mankind begins with them, and thus dominion over the land, sea and sky is their birthright. Nevermind if there are legitimate borders. And certainly not when so many of their once counterparts now endorses and recognises the Palestinian state.

And the other hard knock, a megalomaniac of unimaginable proportions attempting to salvage his reputation because of his ugly uncanny urge. And so like the other counterpart, he seizes this opportunity to divert attention away from his mischief.

And why not? He is killing two birds with one stone. Vanishing his misdeeds whilst swerving the world economic outlook to his favour.

And if they can, both hard knocks are hoping to starve off their opponents, pulp their ruling government, and then replaces them with Yes men.

Such self serving attempts sad to say, are not god like, neither are they god abiding. This imbroglio they mooted is a desperate attempt to rescue their dominance over the world, and they will continue to choke their rivals till they are out of breath, until one or more rival decides to bring to the table, conditional truce.

It’s a do now or die situation.

Only then will they release their grip and their blackmail will start.

But looking at the current situation, nothing they hope for will happen. Because the world is dealing with hard knocks. To end this madness,a conglomerate of superpowers, not just any country, needs to unleash their military capability as a warning. Or that the two hard knocks can be overpowered by their own countrymen.

If not, sad to say, World War 3 is just around the corner.
⁃ Kris Lee 2026.

8the day of Chinese New Year

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The 8th day of Chinese New Year is supreme to the Hokkiens, not the Cantonese, Teochews, Hockchews, Hakkas nor any other dialect groups that existed within the Southeast Asian Chinese community, more so in Penang. For it is on this day, the Hokkiens purportedly emerged from the sugar cane plantations they sought refuge from the atrocities committed by the Japanese during World War 2. The sugar plantations is hence their life saver, and thus, on both sides of the altar table stood sugar canes representing the two main pillars of thanksgiving to the Jade Emperor for keeping the Hokkiens safe, a unique add-on, besides all the other condiments spread out on the altar table, signifying abundance as thanksgiving throughout the new year. Besides this, fireworks lit up the night sky in frenzy, chasing away bad luck and evil spirits that looms around the homes  and shops of these worshippers. And believe it or not, it will always rain before the clock strikes midnight on the 8th day before the prayers begin. 

So who is this Jade Emperor (Thian Gong/Heavenly God) or Thni Kong to the Hokkiens and why is he revered to more than the Lord Buddha so much so that in every Chinese temple, joss-stick carrying Hokkiens will turn to face the sky and worship Thni Kong first, before entering the temple or turning to face the altar table, which the Lord Buddha, the Goddess of Mercy (Guanyin) and the rest of the Taoist deities are placed?

As according to Taoist folklore and culture, Thni Kong is considered the supreme ‘deity’ and ruler of heaven. Thni Kong governs the cosmos, and oversees a vast hierarchy of deities who reports to him on human affairs for example, the Kitchen God (Chau Chu Kong), who reports annually to him on each family’s well being. Thni Kong is also considered the supreme administrator of the Heavenly Court (Tian Ting), governing heaven, earth, and the underworld. In essence, Thni Kong’s significance stems from his role as the sovereign ruler of the visible and invisible world, a concept that resonates deeply with communities more concern with order, justice, and prosperity in this life. For communities who focuses on worldly affairs, seeking prosperity, health, justice, and social harmony, Thni Kong is the ultimate authority. He is the one who makes the final call on one’s fate. Hence, this makes him the focal point for prayers related to practical, everyday life and his impending popularity to the Hokkiens.

On the other hand, the Lord Buddha is the enlightened teacher and founder of Buddhism, a path to escape suffering and the cycle of rebirth. Lord Buddha offers a different kind of salvation, focusing on the next life, making him less directly involved in the daily bureaucratic affairs of the world. In folk cosmology, Buddha’s realm is often seen as a separate, independent system- the Western Paradise focusing on spiritual liberation. 

In Southeast Asia, Hokkiens worship a curious tripartite mix of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. They would consider the Lord Buddha as supreme, but rites and rituals are more often than not bent towards Taoism, with moral teachings resonating Confucius values.

  • Kris Lee 2026.

Chinese New Year

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Chinese New Year has been traumatic for me since some forty years ago when our life took a drastic turn. I did not expect the phobia to last and replays itself yearly, but nevertheless, it serves as a reminder to me, to be weary of dubious pretentious characters. 

I had a kind unassuming dad, a man of few words but hardworking, and ever since the day he got lucky winning the social welfare lottery in 1966, he left his job as a cashier, bought a few properties and initiated several businesses. Dad helmed several important positions in his own clan, ethnic, school and political associations. He particularly loves sports, is a champion at table tennis, and he is fond of music, all kinds, taught himself to play several instruments and is good at singing. Despite his busy schedule, he was there for us, a father figure, took us to his farm on Sundays, and acclimated us between his flurry of social activities. Most distinctively, he is kind and generous to a fault which I am convinced must be due to his childhood hardships, one who survived the war. He is there for just about anyone, his own siblings included who were in need of his assistance throughout their daily struggles, never dodged, and in the end, got buried under irrecoverable debts from those he once helped.

Mom was different. She is a bit offbeat and modern. A year younger than my dad, fortune was in her family’s imprint. Despite her pompous character, she did not inherit grandma’s nor her uncle’s shrewdness, and is susceptible to sob stories. She gave handouts to anyone in need, even on the streets but mostly gravitates herself towards the welfare of her own biological family. But in her final moments, she got plummeted, buried under others misfortune and plight. Mom was never a homemaker. She rarely cooks, relies on maids and employees to help her in household chores while she wiles away with her social class, but nevertheless, she tried to raise us, often at times, outdoing her capabilities and gets sidetracked by her two vagrant brothers as well as appeasing to the needs of her siblings, her social class of politicians and Tai Tais.

Surmounting differences indeed between my mom and dad, yet they found commonality in dancing, and in association matters. From dad’s reaction, I could feel he prefers mom to be homey, which she wasn’t built for. But her socialising attracted trays of other’s sob stories, which became a balancing test of mercy or kindness and that bits off a large chunk of his once good fortune. Mom’s grouses centred around women with an affinity for good looking men, which leads to many disputes between both of them and we as children, were caught in between, witnessing some terrifying moments of kungfu at play. Amid tears, our pleas never got heard because we were puny then and eventually, as fate had decided, they both pulled each others rugs, and along with it, goes our home, their businesses as well as our properties. Even our education prospects got curtailed. My sister’s studies in the UK were forfeited, my brother failed his SPM and a blur cock skirt chaser like myself got ejected to Singapore where I needed to work to study. 

My mom’s scorn knows no boundaries as many a time, she and her bunch of nosey Tai Tais was busily calibrating and tracking down dad’s movements as well as their own, even engaging Sherlock Holmes to fill the missing pieces. She damaged dad’s reputation unsparingly with her uncanny blasting without realising the impact it will generate and because most of my dad’s businesses and property is in her name, she pulled the final brakes, calls herself boss leaving just one so he could gasp for air, to see it collapsing one by one. And dad found himself managing that shop staying upstairs, sharing it with his sibling and family whom helped run the business until his dying days.

Chinese New Year was fun in the beginning of our childhood years before the tussle began. We once had three or four Lion Dance troupes performing yearly, not discounting the many greeting cards alongside visitors coming by the hundreds, including those from government ministers. We had stacks of goodies, drinks and red packets lined up for each and every visitor, not forgetting beggars and paupers all lining  up outside temple walls. Dad makes it a point to grace five or six temples yearly bringing us along with him before we visit the elders. As kids, we were like happy radios not knowing the significance of each kowtow, each greeting, each cookie and dried fruit, but we were fully dressed up bright and gay sipping F&N Sarsi and Orange carbonated drinks and getting paid for it. And our altar were filled with an allay of meat, dishes and sweets to appease the anointed spirits. 

But one Chinese New Year day, I found my mom, whom once graces centerstage between her battalion of misfired goons, all alone, staring at vacant spaces, shattered by the eerie silence where it once was a bustle, year in year out. That image vividly stays, imprinted and entrenched in my memory and it pops out yearly. Not because we weren’t hospitable nor accommodating, but because it occurs to me then, that societies wheel can only be coxed with money. And money is the primal glue that binds friendship and people to you. As usual, the goodies were stacked, but no one cares to visit. Not even the lion dance troupes. Everyone dismounts from the carnival they were once a part of. And I thought mom and dad had true caring friends. They don’t. Except for a handful who knew what gratefulness is, the rest are just leeches looming in the swarm looking for blood to suck. And the emptiness went on consequentially year after year after year. 

Confucius has a saying. If you are poor and you live in the city, no souls will visit you. But if you are rich and you live in the mountains, souls will strive to visit you even if the journey is ordeal. Not exactly word for word. Eversince that time, Chinese New Year meant nothing to me. Really. But I don’t loom in sadness. Whatever that happens, has happened. Society’s mishap. Kindness is a good trait that does not yield reciprocal affection. And sob stories are often designed not out of desperate needs, but to milk you before others does. It just hardens my spirit. Just to put it on record. I am the only archiver in my extended family.

  • Kris Lee 2026.

Looks

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In my entire life until today, I have never been short of women. A lot of people regard it as a boon. In some ways, they are right. Looks does garner attention. But in some ways, they are wrong too. Because I do not believe women are drawn to men because of looks alone, although looks is certainly the quotient to initial interest. Personally I have encountered better looking men. Tall, sexy, sharp features and well groomed. But still, more women are drawn to me. What I believe separates me from the better looking ones is charm, and a queer sense of mix match style. Not looks. A lady once told me if she were to singly scrutinise every facial feature of mine, I look horrible. But strangely I look good when they were all combined. I just think I got lucky.

Possessing good looks is an essential commodity in certain industries, the fashion, cosmetics, advertising and show industry being the main consumers. Only the good looking ones gets to grace covers of fashion and lifestyle magazines, and only the good looking ones gets to play hero, and leading roles in films. Not unless the main character is a villain. But still, good looks is a better bet in boosting ticket sales outshining talent.

I did have a fair share of offers placed on my lap many moons ago. Modelling, acting, spotlights and all, but passion leads me to the creative and design industry. At that time, I didn’t regard modelling or acting as a stable career choice. Besides, fame to me is unimportant. And I have no desire to be a trendsetter. At a much younger age, all I wanted is to be taller. Standing at 4 feet tall with a bulging tummy, I was teased at in school. In desperation, I made a pact with God. That I’d be good if God can make me taller. He did, and I was elated. It is really that simple.

But many who knew me says I was an idiot. If only they knew that I tip-toed in, out of curiosity, and dashes out just as fast, after it dawned upon me that the modelling industry is inundated with back stabbing bitches, a man eats man’s world so to speak of. And climbing up the peak to win auditions and casting means you need to curry the ugly toads, wade through tons of frenemies and sleep with bi’s. Too bad that I don’t do men nor kowtow to anyone. It’s just not me.

So what did looks in a normal life gets me?
A fair share of attention, but lots of offensive envy. I was once molested by a male friend, a model himself, who thought it a good idea to overnight at his place. That happens out of invitation. I never see him again. I have a friend who deserted friendship because he says, all the women he is eyeing seems more attracted to me. I never meet him again. I have friends who conveniently left me out of social programs for the same reason. And so I stay at arms length. And talking about queer style, a friend once took off with my wardrobe on the pretext of overnighting with me. And out of the many reasons why women are drawn towards me, many can’t see beyond looks. Not charm, not calm, not disposition, not conduct, not attitude, not talent. Often, I get unwelcome remarks at familiar joints.

And so often, you will find me alone. Entertaining myself away from the maddening crowd. Not by choice. But for all the hiccups I receive from others who thinks that looks is what they lose out to me in.

Then, I often wondered why superstars chooses elusiveness throughout their life. It is not only about privacy or being hounded by paparazzi’s. But it is because you seldom gain friends who could see beyond looks. And if I could turn back the clock, maybe I should have stayed on and make millions from the industry where looks are a prerequisite. And live a different life. And convince myself that looks does matter.

God

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If God is so magnificent, all knowing, and powerful
and we lowly humans are not, why then when we were made in his image and likeness, weren’t we gifted his magnificence, his all knowing ability and power, that we have to be born a helpless tiny tot through a grimacing mother in anguish, then grow up to toil under the scorching sun, armed with the littlest that we know of, sieving through dirt and mud, scouring through the forest and mountains, sailing through the rugged seas, to find ourselves classified into different tribes according to trades, birthplace and surnames, and have feuds against other tribes, spilling blood along the way as we explore, discover, and develop through our own initiative, effort and imagination, inventions and methods that could gradually transform this blue planet into a better place to live in, only to cease living within a fraction of time?

Like leaves on the tree, we wilt, being replaced by younger leaves, generation after generation, and consciously exposed to a variety of religions, not just one. Why did God allow so many religions to co-exist just like the variety of flora and fauna found around us? To confuse? Or that God washes his hands off us the minute we were created, and let us live by free will? But the trees and ferns lives in unison, each minding its own, sharing the same sun and rain, yet they don’t fight unlike creatures and men. It must be because they don’t go in search of food nor are they endowed with legs.

Hence, is God by chance, a man made? Just who separates geniuses and blockheads? God or schools for learning? Because we are altogether sprouting and toiling together under one big umbrella called Mother Earth. Why weren’t we made like trees and ferns? The pretty and the ugly, the good and the bad, the smart and the stupid, the rich and the poor, the responsible and the lackadaisical, the ambitious and the laidback, the orderly and the chaotic, why weren’t we lumped together? And why do God promote the mix between different beliefs, cultures, lifestyles, languages and watch the discordances happening right in front of our eyes instead of encouraging unity? What is Gods mission and vision then? And where do we go from here? To a life ever after within a span of a hundred years or so for each humanoid?

With his magnificence and greatness, he could surely allow only geniuses, stop accidents and war, promote peace, vanishes diseases, and rescue poverty. God can allow only the good to thrive, so why didn’t God make that happen? For what good is the bad? Was it an oversight? Or did we fall from grace? Where was God when we disobeyed? So is God for real or just a myth? We will never know for sure.

Religion divides us. But does all religions point to one God alone? This is another question mark.

We will never know for sure. Because the theologians and religious scholars hardly if ever questions the research about God. Is it because they know the truth? Or that we as lowly humans weren’t endowed with his magnificence, power and knowledge to grasp and accept the truth. Or that the truth is too overwhelming for our simple minds to decipher and heed. So most of us just live and let live, ludicrously falling in line with the system calibrated by governments which were created to ensure order and keep liberal market trends alive to reap us. Again, where was God when weapons, drugs and the love of money began?

Our life is filled with mysteries. Plenty of it. Many claim that it is our soul that gives us life. Without a soul, we are just a lifeless block of meat. And thus our soul activates our body. Thus, is our soul giventh by God? How about our body then? Because when the soul leaves, our body rot. So where does our soul go to? Cleansed and recycled to be flown to another infant? Or back to God? And what does God do with each and every soul thereafter unless there’s a place so huge, it could accommodate generations of dead earthlings, not forgetting there are geniuses as well as gobloks. Do God discards the bad into the fire and saves only the good? Why didn’t God make only the good so that God doesn’t need to build a giant incinerator? Or that he saves all beit good or bad? Which means God collects souls. Then transport them to another world? Are there other life forms that God has planted if we sieve though the billions of stars? Where does God live? Where is heaven and where is hell as most of us are made to believe? Does he have a mission for us or are we to live with eternal uncertainty? Why doesn’t God allow us his magnificence, his knowledge, his power?

As usual, God doesn’t speak back. As we are left to toil on our own.

One possible hypothesis is that the minute we men has achieved through science an acceptable degree of living, God will transport us up like crops in the farm, and had us planted to pollute our universe to start other life forms. And in the end, we would become masters of the universe. Do our souls need oxygen? But why does he want us to evolve when he could have made us a full grown like him right from the beginning? He could have filled the universe up with our kind who looks like him and behaves like him right from the beginning. So why didn’t God? Or could it be that God doesn’t want us to be like him? Therefore the absence of magnificence, knowledge and power. But why? God only wanted to build an army of followers? Who could turn to him and defend him in times of calamity? Do God have enemies? But if we were to be made like God, suffering would not have happened right? So what is our purpose then? God granted us a piece of land to do at will? Like we humans won a special prize or something?
Or that this world is just an illusion and multifaceted which explains how we can be transported into our dreams and back to our sleeping body in split seconds?
Or that we are just an experiment to him?

And the reason why God hides the truth about human existence and our mission is too complex for us to grasp and comprehend let alone decipher. And so, to simplify things, religion had us to believe that there is only heaven and hell, and heaven means being besides God after death and enjoy his glory, and hell means entering the incinerator and be banished forever.

Or that in the end, after humankind has built this world into an acceptable kind that pleases God, maybe our world is up for grabs by the highest bidder? Again, who are the bidders?

Who knows..

⁃ Kris Lee 2026.

Akmal

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Akmal.
I can’t help but be amused by his recurring fits of frenzied rhetorics. Either he is wired wrongly or have some defective microbes feeding off his grey matter which explains his delusional blurts, very unlike that of a calm, inert scholar others wish he could be. At the most unwarranted of moments, he transmogrifies into a Hulk-like trance and flies off the handle, whilst belittling others with his orbital rationality. It is as if he can go berserk if he doesn’t get his high sniffing smelly socks.
What does he hope to achieve by repeatedly indoctrinating race, religion and royalty which is his favourite dogma, other than risk being ridiculed and buried under a pile of lawsuits?
If he wishes to champion and protect his race, let it be known to him since he suffers from selective amnesia that this country is called ‘Malay’ sia. Not China, not India. And his race outnumbers others in terms of population count, the civil service, not forgetting all the top positions in important ministries.
If he wishes to champion and protect his religion, he should have opted for theology or religious studies instead while leading the Green Party with his prayers. But isn’t he aware that his God is much more larger and invincible than he is, and therefore doesn’t need protection from us, lowly men? Instead, we seek out God’s protection. So does he.
And if it is about the royals, sad to say he has no link nor birthright in his own lineage lines to be too overtly concern about, because our constitution has clearly spelt out the role of the royals as head of state, hovering high above our laws even. Which means, our royals are untouchable, more powerful and inciteful than him and thus, they do not need protection neither. What more from a stumpy self-styled palace guard who suffers from epileptic seizures.
Through the years, there seems to be no vetting nor quality control churning out from Umno’s production line. The result, an incongruent mix of loose cannons all boxed in with good intentions alongside the good ones. And that each time these loose cannons misfires, the composite index rattles, and the foreign investors run for cover. So is the party’s integrity fractured. Isn’t he aware of the consequences? And that Umno’s survival still depends much upon a mixed box of component parties of different races to stay relevant?
For a highly educated leader such as him and a medical doctor to be exact, his position as youth head should be reassessed. Seriously.
But he and his entourage of whatnots aren’t the only thorns that ruin our country’s image and integrity. There exists tonnes of others in the vicinity who drew public flak by galloping on wild horses trying to rewrite history, waiting for the camera to record their fall.
I hate to say this, but stupidity begets embarrassment, begets laughter, begets ridicule. None of his antics deserve claps. But kicks.

The Malays

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The Malays are not a stupid race as many perceived them to be.
If we were to trace back history, there are indeed many notable village heads and leaders, wise and able men who leads with brevity and inborn acumen, and foiled many an attempt by foreign powers to take control of them. They are no fools.
A classic example would be the enactment of our constitution. Following the likes of Japan, Spain, and many other nations, we opted for the system of ‘Constitutional Monarchy’, whereby a monarch albeit King or Queen, serves as the head of state, with their powers ‘limited’ by a country’s constitution, with actual governing done by an elected parliament and government. In the truest sense, the monarch acts as a symbolic figure of national unity, performing ceremonial duties, while political authority rests with elected officials. It differs from absolute monarchies where the ruler holds total power. When it was first drafted, our abled men makes sure that the liberty and welfare of its citizens are protected first and foremost, with our monarch, acting on advice where national interest is at stake, has the final say in all civil court matters and of court martial in respect of offences committed. By pure intent, this ensures that the ruler stays supreme, propped by powers vested to grant pardon, reprieve, and respites. But because our government operates under a Westminsters style of parliamentary democracy, a system of check and balance between the three branches; executive, legislative and judiciary were laid down, no single branch rules dominion over the other, so as to foil attempts of mischief, wrongful accusation, even biased judgment, to protect the interest of our nation first and foremost where the process of pardon is concern.
But today, the powers of the monarch has been diluted, compromised, and abused by scrupulous parties knowing fully well the king’s decision is absolute where pardon is concern, plotted purely for selfish intent. If our king grants a pardon, reprieve or respite, the consequence is that the weight of the blame by pure intent, conveniently shifts from the convicts seat onto the gilded throne. Therefore one may ask if the throne is prepared to shoulder the entire blame since it has been found by judgement based on evidence, a large scale fully organised crime that brings the integrity of our nation to its knees? And is our ruler prepared to earn the mistrust of its citizens by upsetting the decisions as furnished and decided by the courts?

Mischief

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And so some thought that supremacy can override debacle, and that siphoning of public coffers does not inconvenience, grieve, nor hurt anyone in particular. And so the puny mind formulates mischief, scheming to enrich themselves with their hogwash interpretation of what sin is. And if and when trouble caves in, all they need to do is to flex their muscles that bends the thick cables. While leveraging on race, religion and royalty to arouse sentiment and garner support. But behind closed doors, they resort to prayers grimacing for pardon, from the one they once seek for empowerment to mislead. Only to be blinded by counsellors who garners fame and fortune fighting high profile cases. Don’t they know any better? That a thief is still a thief by pure intention which leads them to act?

Righteous

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The righteous sides the righteous whereas the clowns sides the clowns. The liberty is thus now in our hands to decide who to support when the day comes, by comprehending the utters and loud cries some of them make. By right, some contemptuous mad dogs should be caged.

No Newer Laws

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Please. No newer laws until all your government departments can crop up their website and online operating system. Online user experience quite often gives way to poor flow chart, unclear instructions, slow page loading, and inert to no responses through call waiting applications. It must be equipped with multiple languages application. This reflects on efficiency, convenience and productivity. Clarity of website and leading the user from one page to the next is important. Loading of photos must be fast. Speed is crucial. Bills must be uploaded before sending out emails instructing users to pay. And payment instructions must be clearer than our ATMs. What we see now is departments exploiting internet capabilities to reduce and eliminate workload. Therefore the delay of approvals. What you should also consider is how to reprimand ideal staffs and minimise coffee time. We don’t live on fines each time the fault lies with your inefficiency.

We Are No Fools

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The annihilation of BN from mainstream politics is due to only one factor. Rampant corruption. Unless one is affiliated to the former BN for one or more reasons, every sane citizen irrespective of race or creed longs to see the perpetrators being severely punished, and fast. And the loot returned. We are fed up with the twist and turns. We want to see these perpetrators on its knees. So please, no more wayang, no more sandiwara. We are fed up. And this is how PH got voted Because their leaders was seen to be championing the eradication of corruption. But till today, these pledges weren’t fulfilled. What threatens its delay? If PH wants to regain traction with the citizens and subsequently win the next election, this is it. This issue is the mother of why our citizens loses faith with PH. PH needs to get this mother of issues settled or be left with nothing to its good name. Take this as a concern citizens advice written good intentions. We are no fools.

Moral Compass

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Many Malaysians seems to have lost their moral compass to win the global race. Admitting incompetent students into universities is the main catalyst for our downfall. Awarding contracts based on cronyism , nepotism and ethnic lines is another. So is propping up underserved under qualified citizens to helm important positions. We think along religious lines. We sideline factual history, pretend to believe in false pretences. Not national interest. The result? Wrong diagnosis, buildings fall, the guilty wins legal battles, traffic jams increases. These are all systemic changes designed for failure. But no one thought it important. No one cares about progress and the future. If our leaders can do all these, so can we. Still, they insist they are right. So long as having money in their pockets to secure their own future is everything there is to it. My fortress, my own. We exploit national coffers. Nevermind integrity, ethics and dignity. Will this ever end? Yes it can. But it takes courage.
But no one dares to take on the global stage. We want to win by shortcuts. We want to be jaguh kampongs. We hood wink international bodies. We flex our muscles because we have the numbers to outmanoeuvre others. We seem to think rules can bend in our favour. So long as we have the money and the necessary connections. The result? Our country pays. While they laugh all the way to the bank.

Caning

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Reintroduce back caning. It is part and parcel of disciplining, ala Southeast Asian style. It may sound harsh, but as a former student raised up in that coded environment, we had fun. As alumnis, we had a good laugh years later, over the pranks and mischief we were caught guilty of committing. We don’t harbour ill feelings towards our teachers and/or discipline master. Because we know we did wrong. And whenever we meet them again on the road years later, we became good friends. We even thank them for the sacrifices they make towards our welfare, as makeshift parents responsible for our upbringing. No doubt their job is to teach, and in their frenzied rush to complete their syllabuses on time to prepare us for the exams, disruptive mischievous students somehow deters the progress of the entire class. Personally, I feel it is a mistake to make caning an offence in schools. Without the slashes, we wouldn’t have grown up to be good people and subsequently become good parents. We don’t deserve to be pampered when young. Trees not only depended on the sun and the rain to grow. We need fertilisers and pruning. Bad branches has to go and so are pest and snails, in order that the tree can bear good fruits. Although some parents disallow it, I would say we can strike a healthy balance, by making parents sign letters of undertaking when enrolling them into the school of their choice, if they feel so their child should not be disciplined by caning, but faces expulsion, if the offences is found to be severe, after two summonings from discipline teachers and counsellors in front of their parents. Either that or they take the caning.
Because orderly, there must be discipline, even at the workplace. The performance of every school and company depended on it. We are not stressing on slow learners but mischief by bullies. And gangsterism. Even more vital are discipline in sports, the military or police force. There are rules to follow. Teachers need to be involved to resolve the many challenges facing the school. Even as teachers, their own children are left in the care of other teachers from other schools not their own. None of them ever did complain, nor compare. Teaching methods must be regulated and so is discipline, so that students can evolve. In some schools, cleaning the classroom and public facilities are left to students. To broaden their circumspect of what life’s lessons is all about. Being responsible. It is foolish thinking that some parents thought that raising their child to be clever and smart is about leaving their kids to the responsibility of teachers, and leaving them to entertain themselves by equipping them with the best mobile phones available in the market, then washes their hands off, yet fault the teachers for disciplining, when their own children misconducts. That is escapism. Just my two cents.

Silent Murmurs

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Silent murmurs were heard, the day PMX announces his cabinet, when a nondescript individual was appointed to administrate and lead the most important machine of all, the education department. Although there were cries of foul, our PMX was condescending and unperturbed. Why? No one knows. Names were inserted in, though not due to popular voting counts, and because we submit in to the belief that change would happen in due course, we too hop in the ride. Rudely, it has not proven to be a smooth ride as many of us has hoped for. For what could have been the catalyst of reform, it is obvious that the department is now crippled and deformed by its latest development, all happening within the midst of its compounds. Should Malaysians forget such horror when the enrolment to national schools has hit a record low? And infringement towards the civil rights of another is now making headlines for the wrong reasons? Should we still ride on that train, because the choice of good replacements is few and far in between?
I remembered grousing my concerns as a responsible citizen and wrote an article a hundred days after PMX helm our top executive post, with special emphasis on educational reform policy, not just politics. It was quite detailed in nature, and I remembered tagging every single minister in PMX’s cabinet so that my meek suggestion is considered. The late Steadyku 47 even had it published in his blog. So what happened to the effort? Is it merely rhetoric by a concern citizen with no ranks to support its exertion except some flowery discourse best handled by concern parties dutibound to the department? Who knows? But what remnants has it cause that dillusionment within the cabinet in its entirety is another pointing of fingers bout? My answer would be blame one, blame all. This is a rude yet apt siren reverberating in everyone’s eardrums. The discontent is alarming. It doesn’t take another brainless incident to marginalise those not fit for the job. An anarchy could be the best option for our country if all we have is funds from the PIBG to help implement better safety measures and standards.
It is laughable if our top executives thinks that being in charge of a large pond means the fishes are self sustainable, and its captive breeding only depends on the sun and the rain. It means feeding, cleaning, raising and maintaining a correct ph balance for the fries that the market can absorb its healthy growth for all it’s worth beit kembong, Arowana or Siakap. Just my personal opinion.

Senseless Killing

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Malaysias are rudely jolted by the latest news of some senseless killing committed by a juvenile schoolboy in the vicinity of a co-ed school, over what could possibly be the case of unrequited love. The consequence, a helpless young women succumbing to multiple stabbing wounds. What is particularly disturbing is a written note left on the victim’s body by the same assailant, coded words only gamers could comprehend, then cooly walking away from the scene before injuring others. Only then was he subdued and subsequently arrested.
But what triggers him to commit such crime towards a woman he secretly adores, when he could easily win her over by other civilised means, or at least attempt to? Or could there be other underlying factors such as his state of mental health at that time the crime took place? Was he under the influence of illicit drugs or substances not discounting the misguidance by friends of his own kind? Was he challenged? Or could he be harbouring an inner anger, consistently facing rejection and ignored by his own family members, gradually drifting into a virtual world he created for himself where he finds solace and comfort in? How does a meek introvert morph himself into a trance-like state of fearlessness?
Evidences has left to the recovery of several weapons, all hidden and stashed within the school compound. Are they all his?
The answer is indeed complex.
But whatever it may be, we cannot escape the fact that taking the lives of others is a crime that should not escape punishment.
Pro active measures such as school safety, moral education, juvenile laws and parental accountability must be reexamined in totality to tackle such acts of violence from wantonly repeating. Crime such as these should be dealt with in the harshest of terms. Violence found on and off camera including playing of online games sad to say, must now be closely timed, tracked and monitored by responsible parents and teachers, as artificial intelligence, beit good or bad, has now overtaken the skyline. It is sad news indeed, but even sadder for the parents who lost their kid to a maniac who can’t differentiate between reality and the cyber world.

Handphone

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What about trust?
Love is a complex issue made worse by the invention of the handphone. If one party keeps on checking on their partners handphone, it simply means there is trust issue. Trust is the foundation or bedrock of love. If there is no trust, how can there be love? That said, it also means you don’t love your partner enough, let alone trust them. Everyone lives three lives daily. A public life, a personal life and a private life. A public life is what you do in public that everyone gets to know or see. The perception strangers have on you. A personal life is what only your family or close friends gets to know about. It is what you do in the close confines of your home that only those close to you knows about. For example the worries you share, how you use the fridge, the type of shampoo you use. Things that only those close to you knew about. Like the way you snore. Or when you share your financial difficulties, your education progress, or career setbacks. But there is this inner sanctum in everyone that no personal family and friends knows about let alone penetrate into. Those are things like your thoughts, your fetish, your stress kept hidden, or your uncanny habit of wearing ladies underwear on your head when you sleep, or watching soap operas, or how you sit facing the water tank on the toilet bowl. That is your private life. Embarrassing things which you do that you can’t share, And because inventors understands these three lives each and everyone of us lives through, they invented convenient things for your comfort and reassurance. Those gadgets can ensure us that our private life is safe. That simple button on the phone is called the ‘password’. Breaking that password and you are intruding. Giving away the password means you are a blady goblok. This also means your partner doesn’t love you enough. If trust is invaded, so is love. And if love is invaded, then, it is better to stay single. No one should, or could invade the holy of holies. Because if every couple does that, and one partner compels the other to give it away, I question the love they have for each other. The minute there is a law compelling your partner to reveal the password, I can safely say this world is in big trouble. Love and trust cannot be compelled, neither should there be conditions. Unnecessary conditions, like chains, is tying the freedom of the person you love. Too many conditions and you become a prisoner. Breaking into one’s inner sanctum is an intrusion of privacy that should not have happened, if you truly love someone. Stop being nosy. Because if someone truly loves you, rest assure they know how to conduct themselves towards you, so that you feel safe. And secure. The ultimate unconditional love. So, have more confidence in yourself and your partner you want or already have. Don’t doubt them. And this world would become a better place. The minute one partner ask for it, it is time to work on your relationship. Or let go. Rest all your concerns to God.

Playing The Victim

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As I have predicted, Trump is playing the victim with an intention. He is renegotiating tariff terms with all other countries and whichever country decides not to trade with China gets the best terms. By announcing the new renegotiated tariff, he knows the share market is going to be disrupted. And with the US dollar considerably lower, it will make US more competitive in attracting investments. But blaming China for their own lax mechanism is not fair. China has always been friendly in their approach, unlike the bully tactics other countries receive from the US. The instant reaction is that the citizens suffer in his hands when he craves the market share he deserves. But that will depend on whether US produce can compete in terms of innovation, usability, quality, efficiency and price competitiveness. Already as it is, ten percent of citizens savings had been wiped out overnight. The bottom line is he wants to maintain US as the big brother of the whole world by marginalising the world’s right to stay competitive in trade. That is not fair. A trade war can escalate into a world war if he isn’t careful. But does Trump care? The US may be powerful combating one country but with other countries in the loop, US will have to reckon with two wars. A civil war and a world war is imminent. That is going to be ugly.

Tariff Announcement

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Trump deliberately brought down the worldwide market USA could no longer compete with, with his tariff announcement. With this move, he tries to gather every country back to the starting line of the race track, so he could make his silly move on China, which has overtaken the world economy. His trick is simple. That whichever country negotiating to lower the tariff, Trump will deliberately plant a hurdle, that those countries must first agree to stop trading with China. If one studies his announcement, one will noticed that he tries to portray USA as a reasonable country that only imposes half of what other country imposes, without revealing the previous tariff agreement they had with other countries. It is a deliberate plot to cause worldwide panic. With the backing of all his economists and experts.
The situation today is comparable to a bird watcher (USA) trailing one bird (China) with his binoculars. Wherever the bird flies, whatever the bird eats or drinks, the binoculars follows. And the birdwatcher trails. Running tired, the bird watcher now attempts to kill the bird.

Punters

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Chinese are punters. Our uncanny fetish for betting is legendary. If gambling is a sport in the Olympics, we are the undisputed gold medalist. Gambling is not inside our DNA. Gambling is our DNA. We can bet on anything and we love a good challenge over anything. During the yesteryears , the locals bet on strange things like the time the rain supposedly falls. But rather than counting on the winnings, the majority of punters bet for the sake of mingling with friends, for fun, thrill and excitement or to pass their time away. To some, this habit progresses into a serious addiction. We Chinese can bend or create rules to suit our convenience so sometimes in sports betting, a losing team can also deliver winnings depending on the handicaps allowed because it is one of the many ways to instigate a challenge. 

Truth be said , the Chinese will believe and worship anything which could usher in that extra luck to help them line their pockets. In the plethora of things, we even have a money god which many worship. And so, for many a serious gambler, they depended heavily on divine intervention. And so they flock temples and shrines hoping that the gods, deities and mediums in trance could predict the lucky numbers for them to bet on. When the joss sticks are raised, the mouth automatically chants in unison their silent pleas. But these appeals usually float to the surface right after the spirits had been appeased with offerings of traditional cakes, dishes, sweets, and prayer paraphernalia. And if a particular temple, shrine or medium is more popular, chances are the gods, deities and mediums have blessed many of their followers. 

Many also believed in ditties and sayings associated with their offerings, and alongside, all kinds of superstitions to ward off bad luck. These would include refraining oneself from swearing, washing hair, and anything considered taboo for the entire duration of Chinese New Year such as hiding the broom and anything pointy and sharp that could cut for the entire duration, usually fifteen days.

Our forefathers once kept pocket-sized booklets that contains four digit references of every object, occasion, moment, or actions we encounter daily, just so that we could bet. And these booklets are usually kept on or below the altar table. The betting shops love us, the casinos love us, even the race course loves us. Everything has a number assigned to it. And that includes accidents, coffin, or a bloke who was bitten by a snake. 

During Chinese New Year which by tradition is the ushering in of the Spring Festival, an event that colluded thanksgiving with bountiful harvest, the locals became obsessed with homophones, objects that in our local lingua, sounded like plentiful money is coming in, and the believe that everything new and clean, and everything with the colours red and gold will bring luck. The walls of every home becomes a target for red paper cuttings, calligraphic greetings, faux fire crackers and smiling deities. Even the altar offerings of meat and fruits is not spared from these sprouts of paper blooms and faux gold nuggets. Come Chinese New Year, the colour red in all its shades and tints dominates the clothing stores. Anything red and gold flies of the shelf first, followed by yellow which is the colour reserved exclusively for the emperors. Such beliefs became a practice and gradually became a tradition after many years of laity observances one wonders if it is simpler to paint their houses red instead and wear red all year round? 

On the reunion table, abundance is the key word. And anything that tasted sour or bitter is taboo. Thus, many families cramped their dining tables with assorted meats, vegetables, fruits and dairy. And hot pots takes prominence over cooked dishes. It is as if the world’s biggest scam is happening offline concocted by these wholesalers rooted by symbolism coupled with homophones, sayings and ditties. A month approaching Chinese New Year, these foodstuff traders, shopkeepers, merchants and wet markets makes a fortune out of gullible followers. The question that comes to mind is how many of these punters got lucky by following these observances, rituals and believes year in year out? How many? 

Addendum

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The question to ask is if the addendum is written with an intent, why wasn’t it formally corresponded to the authorities involved? There was no such addendum received. Negative as claimed by our home minister. That includes the ag’s office , prisons board, pardons board and home ministry. Which means it is a leaked document. A document stolen from the custody of the royal secretariat.
So who stole it?
And for what purpose was it stolen?
And can a leaked document otherwise known as royal secrets be accepted as permissible evidence?
An action is a manifestation of an intention. It is only when you intend to do something do you act on it. In this case there is intent not acted upon. Isn’t that deduced as a retracted intention or an intention withdrawn?
The second point is why the addendum when surely the all knowing royal household knew there are proper rules to follow for a convict to apply for house arrest? Don’t the legal team representing the convict knew? And how the king only acted upon the recommendations of the pardons board in which the attorney general is also a party within the board the king must consult? So did the then king not know or ill advised?
Which is why the lower court did not permit the evidence now accepted by the appeals court because there are far too many questions left unanswered?

Deviant Teachings

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Religion becomes dangerous when it’s teachings gets misinterpreted. Most of its books focuses on the wonders of God, and guides humankind to be wise God fearing people, intertwined with lessons on morality and social interaction. But people being people, most of us are drawn to drama. We find sensational news and events more entertaining than the common and the mundane, and thus, we sucked up to miraculous happenings which in turn, helps shape our perception of who or what God is. Every sacred text has their fair dollop of miracles. I see, therefore I believe is the universal mantra, and because each and every individual are his handmade, our all knowing God occasionally sows seeds of miracles into his garden to amaze us, at other times, God sends subtle signals to us through signs, wonders and natural catastrophes, so we could all discern our actions or inactions. Turning water into wine, opening the Red Sea, Noah and the flood, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Hercules and Samson, mystical fables, these are some significant events that shapes the history of humankind, with the aim of drawing us back to Gods fold.

This world had been colonised by a few religions. Institutional or otherwise, religion has always been a crucial factor that leads to societal reforms, so much so that states and politicians had ridden on its waves, hoping to garner influence from their devotees, each with their own objectives. The poor takes consolation and refuge in it, whereas the rich, revere to it for the many blessings they purportedly receive, simply by believing. But religion, at the same time, through misguided teachings, is like a fish that opens its mouth to lure in feed. For want of answers, the hungry and thirsty shoals swim around it, first nibbling at its lips before entering its mouth in search of scrums. In its midst of nibbling, the fish slowly closes its mouth. Not only were the shoals gobbled up, they swim in darkness as their sweetness and flesh disintegrate through each churning of its muscles, till nothing is left.

But should institutional religions be collectively criticised for the existence of deviant preachers? The learned religious scholars are not always charismatic preachers, whereas the articulate are not necessarily learned preachers. For as long as the institutions and its scholars remain tight-lipped, those in want of answers will seek elsewhere for nourishment. While some institutions forbid the publishing of holy books without their endorsement, some guides you to read only those with stamps of approval, whereas others demand complete reverence and submission through rituals and traditional practices.

Deviationist comes in many forms, shapes and sizes. To the structured institutions, anyone who is caught preaching out of context can be excommunicated. But not all religious movements are guided by rigid rules. Small cell groups had been smothered by faithful members to become bigger movements. Others circumambulated and lost their way somehow, then died. Some charismatic deviationist has also been idolised due to their unconventional ideologies in worship and miraculous healing, which resulted in phenomenal growth, though they started as a pea, an offshoot from the main. But most who possessed the gift of teaching started with the noblest of acts which is to help spread their faith, and help whenever they can, but as the size of their congregation grows, so does some of their heads grew bigger in size, and thus gets carried away when they were affirmed by their followers to be more than a mortal being they are and has always been. In our midst, we have witness the most startling of gurus of the holy kind being pulped and banned for infringing codes of belief deemed unacceptable to societal conditions and conduct eg. David Koresh, Sun Myung Moon, and many more immortalised figures and cult like groups that has caused quite a stir in groping followers into believing the world will end. Some even pinpointed the actual date and collectively ended their lives, alongside their followers.

But how does these deviants came to the interpretation that they are right? How did they seize the minds of the gullible? Affirmations and attestations flooded in by their sizeable followers plays a part. The churches has its fair share of deviationist~ from John Wesley to Martin Luther. But they were, as history gradually classify them as reformers. Not deviationist. Deviant preachers usually reaches out to the spiritually hungry in need of answers, and the desperate who desires healing in certain areas of their lives namely relationships, financial difficulties or personal health. And so they feed. Dropping elixirs of hope when there appears to be none, as they gather the flocks to themselves. Some had been known to organise stadium filled workshops, and after garnering hefty returns through voluntary contributions to sustain themselves, discovers its lucrativeness they interpret as spiritual blessings and eventually became a way to survive. These hallucinators many a time reinvent their knowledge, as little as they know, whereas others focuses on events of plight, of deceit, of bitterness and of envy to sow revenge, to do justice to their faith they claim were slighted in the course of history.

And so, the lost souls toe the line into submission. After having gotten their grey matter entangled by voluminous religious books, they cluster themselves towards these articulate preachers who does little feats of on the spot healing, whom to them makes more sense. As was said, I see, therefore I believe. In the midst, the naive, the gullible, the weak, the hungry, were all manipulated into giving away everything they possess so as to be in total submission, not knowing if there are inconclusive misinterpretations or misinformations found in the preachings. Others were blinded by riches and conveniences certain deviationist provides and donated generously to these movements when their personal financial, health or relationship problems has been restored.

As long as our mind works, religious books are open to differing conclusions. How could it not be, when there are thousands of pages to content with. And when a person hungers for answers, and learned scholars appears absorb in their own inner sanctum, most followers will seek spiritual guidance elsewhere, especially from those who knows a little bit more than the other does, whom were then elevated to become teachers, elders, facilitators, and ended up as deviationist.

Our God is someone who acts through nature, and moves the world through amazing feats, signs and wonders. Over mankind, our God, etched in history, is someone who is believed to have sown rewards, blessings and punishment, yet many forgot about the merciful and forgiving nature of his character. And as believers, we are supposed to emulate God’s awesome ways. And discern our actions if or not, they are God pleasing. Instead, many became paranoids, being threatened by their surroundings, people whom are not of the same faith, and all things they were taught to consider unholy, which unfortunately happens to be the by product of our creator.

And then, there are those who ode their misfortunes to God instead of reflecting back on their own wrongdoings, and thus they hop from one faith to another in search of the elixir that suits them, of fortune and blessings of health and happiness usually, and ended up with the deviants. Unlike others whom ode their mishaps to karma and left God, never to return.

The issue of deviant teachings is complex. But by the will of God, religion is supposed to guide us in our conduct, and to love each and every humankind as our own. Good things in the human soul are the offsprings of the kingdom of God. Everyone deserves existence. Religion rules over us, as atheist finds no place to comfort their souls if and when they perish. Birth certificates says you must have a religion and thus, everyone was anointed with one through their parents.

Not and until structured institutions crops up their folly, deviant teachings like mushrooms, will sprout under damp conditions. To keep an eye of them is a huge effort. But crime against humanity and the natural order of our world, must be judged according to state laws. Victim’s anguish must be addressed and penalties and punishment must be metted out to the wrongdoers. Leave religion aside. Those who cowers under the pinions of religion when arrested must be persecuted. No two ways.

⁃ Kris Lee 2024.

Two Engines?

Posted by fiveloaf on

It is startling indeed
to learn that undergraduates now determines the future direction of the university that taught them everything they need to learn except rational thinking, so on second thought, let us all be agreeable and take it a step further. Maybe, our education ministry should allow these students a full takeover and running since what they say matters, and since no one, beit from the education ministry, or our beloved prime minister’s department felt it important to publicly address the problem, and nip it in the bud.
If our ministry still thinks they are in control, it is timely they should do the needy~ that allocations be withdrawn, since it involves taxpayers money, and divert them to universities willing to address our current concerns, and take up the challenges faced by our country.
And to all these irrational supporters who proudly opposes that noble idea raised by none other than a caring learned bumi, maybe we should once and for all, have a law that segregates medical treatment for bumis and the non bumis, so that each are responsible for their own kind, which means that non bumis can only get treatment from non bumi doctors and vice versa.
Afterall, basic needs has uncannily already been segregated in the name of our country, race and religion including food and shelter, where there already exists halal and non halal food and housing development lots allocated specifically for bumis only. So maybe, non bumis are now only allowed to purchase homes from non bumi developers only and vice versa. Let’s also extend it to fish markets and clothing stores. It would be interesting to see how our country move on with two engines running at the same time and chop our country into two perhaps? I mean, what could have possibly happen or be bad about that when we don’t need to blame each other for each others shortcomings? That will instantaneously eradicate once and for all, racial misunderstandings and mobile phone purchases? Let each be responsible and accountable for our own kind. Let’s take it even further. Have non bumi police, army, Prime Minister?

Midnight Flowers

Posted by fiveloaf on

There are clans existing in night spaces. Sworn sisters united often by lingo and by country of origin~ bonded by ties of kinship, and rooted by familiarity with culture and lifestyle. Sisterhood intrinsically offers basic benefits of security, and belonging. Living in a country not of one’s own, threats from bullies and unruly guests cannot be discounted; thus, having each other for consultation is a plus. What more, off days are earmarked by echoes of laughter and gossips, fun activities, temple visits, and home entertainment. In other ways, sisterhood offers fresh leads.

In the moonlight industry, there are also, the loners. Those who prefer to distance themselves from any group, class or caste. They toil alone, are resilient and they captain their own ship. They do not answer to anyone nor do they fancy forming bonds of kinship. Strong individuals who segregate themselves, only to be absorbed into their own humdrum life, lost in their own reverie, and wades through difficulties without a whimper or alarm.

There are obvious cultural differences that exist between clans from different countries, each having their own peculiar taste of fashion sensibility, and their own morale of what the service industry is about. And each clan caters to the degree of conduct deemed acceptable by their guests. Nevertheless, each clan offers different moods, colours, variety and fun. Between clans, there is friendly rivalry, yet sometimes, envy and enmity. Rules of conduct were never regulated. Thus, some pushes the limit and displays suggestive behaviour, amid scorns from those who find their conduct unacceptable. Whilst others puts on a brave smile, despite inside their hearts and thoughts, rains rivers of tears.

But day in, day out, these social workers, beit with or without clans or those belonging to different clans, scout in between tables looking for prospects who enjoys a little banter, their presence and their company. Sometimes they win, at other times, they lose. But many are brilliant face readers who could read through the pockets of strangers. When there are little or no guests, these social workers creates opportunities for themselves~ moonlighting outside familiar surroundings, luring their clients with them. Still, most return home to their abode once they feel intoxicated, while others enjoy comfort elsewhere, being pacified while sedated by promiscuous guests. There are those whose drinks were tampered with, and rights infringed upon, because they miscalculated the intentions of their guests. Whilst others had ridden safely home through trusted familiar associates, some had lewd images taken of them, and tips stolen.

Morning is a time to knock off remnants of hung over leftover from the night before. Most social workers spends their entire wake up period rolling on their bed communicating with ardent admirers, whereas others spends time watching video clips, wardrobe upkeep, personal grooming and workout routines. Despite it all, there are those who tend to their family needs both home and abroad, and entertaining lunch and dinner invites. Whereas the adventurous gamble, hoping to double their income. Many others took on other jobs to keep themselves afloat.

There is no right or wrong in the routes each of these women takes. But travelling thousands of miles for the sake of livelihood and survival, there must be stories these bravehearts carries. Still, they trod, amazingly resilient to all the risks, culture shock, immigration complications, alcohol burnout, and sexual harassment to name but a few. Many of them are single moms, both abroad and locally, when their hearts were fluttered with false promises of a good future. Their experiences taught some to be more vigilant but some still does fall for the charm of guests though their hearts told them not to do so. There are too many accounts of sob stories best known to themselves. But it still boils to a better life which everyone desires. But for the sake of their family, society should not be too quick to judge, and mean to deny them a good life, we ourselves want.

Such is their story.

Midnight flowers they are, clan, or no clan. When their luminosity fades during daylight, come twilight, again they will glow and sing inside the hearts of sick, desperate, and lonely men, in search of company.

Such is their story.

Yin and Yang

Posted by fiveloaf on

God gives us day, as well as night. There are those whose lives are totally clouded in darkness and there are those who were blessed by the morning sun. While the vultures encircle the litted sky, the nightingales tweet under the shadow emitted by the moon. Some may say it is a societal mismatch. But indeed, it is a camaraderie of Yin and Yang, the interplay of push and pull that tiptoes the checkerboard of humdrum living. Both are necessary. There is indeed no right or wrong, nor a norm, for good and bad is a choice which lurks at every corner, beit day or night. But societal norm has chosen to be indifferent. Where is that voice we need for the dark, and in the dark? Societal norm is a preference of the majority. That does not mean it is right.

When dawn dissolves the putrid air, there, we will find, a drunkard dozing besides the garbage bin, old people encircling the neighbourhood collecting waste, and the sound of snooze from the night workers, besides the cries of hungry babies. A new day begins.