First They Came...

Do we want this to happen to Malaysia?

They came first for the Communist,
and I didn't speak up
because I wasn't a Communist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak up
because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak up
because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn't speak up
because I was a Protestant.

Then they came for me,
and by that time
no one was left to speak up.

- Martin Niemoeller

Speak out and be heard! Don't let it happen here.

Find out more: 'First they came' on Wikipedia

Agreed, Dr. M

During the campaign trail for today's tri-elections, Dr. Mahathir (former UMNO outcast and current mascot, again) mentioned in regards to street demonstrations:

“What do we get by demonstrating on the streets, except to cause damage? Dialogue is the best way to resolve unhappiness and differences. If we are still unhappy with the government, then show it through the ballot boxes”

I totally agree with the statement. But dialogue is a two-way street and we've been waiting for too long to be heard. That's why showing our sentiments through the ballot box is so crucial. If you are not yet a registered voter, do it now! Registration at post offices and Election Commission counters take only 5 minutes and are painless.

In the meantime, I'm waiting with bated breath for the outcome of the tri-elections. How will it swing? Are voters bamboozled by the popularity tactics so quickly employed by our new Prime Minister? We'll see.

52 Years

If we don't stand up and be heard, our children's children will look back at 2009 and ask tearfully, "What went wrong?" We were such a prosperous country with a rich heritage, plenty of natural resources, and peace-loving people who contribute to the country.

Also highlighted at Malaysia Today, you should read the opinion piece in Sydney Morning Herald, an Australian newspaper.

If home is where the heart is, I fear my heart is becoming a pariah state!

Open and Close

No, this is not Katy Perry's next hit song.

As one door closes, another opens. As far as 2009 is going, many doors are closing. I hope I can see the doors that are opening.

Will I make it through in time?

Cops and Crooks

RPK excerpt of the day (Another day to go and Najib is going to eat humble pie):

"The police have visited the gangsters in Bukit Gantang and told them to make sure that Barisan Nasional wins this seat. If Barisan Nasional loses, then the police will launch an operasi and crackdown on the Bukit Gantang underworld. This means two things. First, the police are more gangsters than the gangsters. Second, the police make deals with gangsters. Now, are we surprised by that?"

Some may question RPK's sanity and writing, but every generation needs a martyr (of sorts) to open our eyes and encourage more critical thinking. After 11 years of brainwashing by our national school system, my eyes are opening. Are yours?

Fun Times!

I was loading some p0rn up on my browser, and while waiting for it to finish loading I switched to a movie clip of me practicing some cardio tracks. Dad walked in and just commented something about the video quality.

The video clip ended.

The movie window closed.

And p0rn was splashed all over my browser window.

I quickly opened another folder and blocked the offending view. We quickly finished up the conversation like nothing happened. I guess this makes up for that time I saw him frantically closing up some XXX websites as I entered his room.

FUN TIMES IN THIS HOUSEHOLD!! LOLROFL!!

Cracks Widen

My company recently announced that 2700, or about 19%, of its Electronic Measurements Group will be laid off. I'm one of those potentially affected.

Details are thin at the moment, but we'll know more in less than 2 weeks. Meanwhile though, morale is low and uncertainty is high. I hate waiting for the death row list to be finalized. In a previous 'restructuring' exercise, the severance package was pretty tempting so I'm actually OK if I get picked.

I would go so far as to say that I would prefer to be laid off with a generous package than to stay on, because the situation is bleak. Who wants to stay in a company and wait for the next cost-cutting measure as is bound to happen next quarter? It started with the 10% pay cut end of 2008, then the closure of under-performing divisions, then the restructuring of support groups, and then this. Bad news! Month by month. Don't we all deserve some good news?