Proud to be a Sibu'rian

Coming back to Sibu is always a good thing, especially when you know it's ur hometown and that you know every single corner of roads in this relatively small city.

But one of the many things which make Sibu people outclassing other dialectic communities is of its distinctive Foochow dialect. No matter where you go about Sibu, this Foochow dialect is easily heard and recognized. One can certainly say that in Sibu, no Foochow language, no business. Of course, it's a joke. But in a more foreign place like Kuala Lumpur, it is observably difficult to find Sibu people. If you do find one, you can hear them miles away, coz they will be yelling and talking so loudly as if they are the MPs.

In LCCT for example today, you can't help but realize how many Foochow people they are in the terminal leaving back home. Since Sibu is a Foochow place, it is not surprise to find Foochow people in te departure terminal. Yet, the feeling of hearing people speaking Foochow is definitely exciting for you know you will be home in another 2 hours time. There you see young and old folks chit-chatting their time off, complaining the number of chicken going missing in the backyard.


One more thing that makes Sibu people outclassing other chinese communities is of its kiasuness. Boy, you cannot imagine what happened today at the departure gate. My flight schedule was postponed to 6.45 from 6.15. Yet, around 6.20, you just saw one group of people standing up and started lining in front of the gate. What followed next was a whole bunch of 20-25 people following what the earlier did. They too started lining up behind this one group of people. One of the ground crews immediately came forward and kindly informed this lining-up people that the plane had not arrived yet, and so, they should just sit down and wait for further instruction.

But nobody sat!!!

5 minutes later (6.30pm), an announcement came to ask the people to sit down and wait. Even so, more people joined in queue.

i was truly astonished by their attitudes. no comment.

Wooww... i could not believe how anxious or nervous our 'Sibu'rian people are to want to aboard the flight so eagerly. Neither do i want to be judgmental, i just wanna say i am proud to be a 'Sibu'rian though i might not be a part of these people.

a pay rise for teacher?

Friday May 11 2007 saw our PM asserting a statement that all 1.2 millions public servants in the country will be promised a pay rise.

10 days later which was yesterday the May 21, we see our PM once again announced that government servants will get a pay rise between 7.5% and 35% beginning 1 July. In addition, the cost of living allowance as reported in the star will also be increased by 100%. One may wonder why our government may or may not have unexpectedly made such a decision.

The first reason is definitely the increasing living standard and cost of living in the country, particularly in the urban cities. Comparing our country with other developing countries in the world, Malaysia has relatively lower living standard. In a sense, this also indicates that pay or salary received is relatively low as compared to other developing countries, for example Australia. In retrospect, i was paid $15 per hour to pick lychee or sweet potatoes. This however is impossible for anyone in Malaysia to receive such amount considering the fact that they too are taking up the same job. Hence, the decision to increase pay rise for teacher is definitely a wise thing to do in the society today. The current pay today of a beginning teacher is around $1500 is simply not sufficient enough to raise a family. Yet, they should have been smarter EARLIER!

Also, with the increasing price of petrol every year, our government is compelled to increase the servants' pay. It is not surprising to find our friends who are government servants to take on additional job to supplement their low salary. Working with only the government does not allow them to endure the high living cost and the high petrol price. there is a saying in the Chinese culture which says that working with government is like a steel-rice-bowl. It will always be the same regardless of the years pass by. Speaking of additional jobs, most of these jobs offer far more rewards and money to us teacher. If you have read on some comments made by teachers in schools or of other government sectors, most of them opt for 'outside' jobs for some extra money to make up for their family expenses. One friend of mine used to tell me something which shocked me. He said his chemistry teacher used to come to class, asking them to open to Page 45, and start reading. That was it. The teacher however was a totally different person during tuition. It was during the tuition that he really taught him and his friends the 'real' teaching. What made the difference between the teaching in school and in tuition is the matter of money received out of tuition.

Another reason for pay rise according to our PM in Utusan Malaysia is to attract and maintain efficient, qualified, prestigious and motivated servants. This is of utmost importance because we need to appreciate the efforts put in by these servants, and that one way to do so is through pay rise. It should be understood that money should be awarded in relation to the efforts and contribution and amount of work produced. Even employees in private sectors expect their bosses to do likewise. However, this is not always the case in many government sectors in many global countries. Teacher, for example, suffers one of the lowest paid jobs in the world. Society should understand and know how much dedication and commitment a teacher put in to teach not only a class of 40 students in class, but 4 to 5 classes of 40 students. Not surprisingly my friend's chemistry teacher chose tuition as a channel to provide 'real' teaching, which as a result, bring more benefits to him.

One other reason as mentioned by our PM is of the relative increment of income tax in the country. I basically have no knowledge in this field of discipine, hence dare not comment on it. But one thing i do know is that the taxation money government holds must indeed be used efficiently so as not to waste money on unnecessary things. Lately, we heard cases of leaking roof at Parliament House which cost approximately 1.5-2billions of maintainence.

The last reason is not known by many yet. Yet, mamak talk as well as kopitiam talk have started spurring it. And, i was one of those people who participated in this conversation. It's the general election in Penang in this coming July. Not sure if it's for real or not, UMNO in New Strait Times 7/5 voiced of reclaiming the Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat from Parti Keadilan Rakyat. Also, they are planning to recapture the Permatang Pasir state seat from PAS. What we can see from here is that our government is pouring in thousands and millions of money to better our society as well as the system in the country, be it education system or other pivotal sectors. Also, the decision for pay rise mark the effort made by our government to appreciate and acknowledge the commitment and amount of work we teachers have put in in developing our students to be holistic and useful citizens in the future.

After all, what will become of students if it's not because of teachers who shape them?

making choices

Life is about making choices. Every minute and second of the day, we are called to make choices. Some choices are big which may change our life forever while some are small which might bring us little disappointment even if they fail. But what more important is the question of whether the choices that we make make us feel good about our present situation or make us feel good about our life in long run despite us knowing what lies ahead may not be easy and simple.

I don't know about you guys out there, but i have been through the consequences of 'easy' solution and 'difficult' situation.

The past few months have been busy for me. I did not have time for blogging, neither did i have time to think twice of what I am doing. All i know is that i have to get things (in which i mean assignment) done by the due date. One of the things i thought was that after the exam, i would want to blog as many as i can, finish reading Nelson Mandela biography 'a road to freedom' and to do things that bring meaning to my life.

However, it did not turn out such way. Immediately after my final exam paper on Assessment in School, I spent few hours in the college canteen talking, chit chatting and expressing how grateful i was to have finish the last exam paper for my Degree programme. Indeed, all the things i did then made me feel so good about myself. Coming back home, life became more luxurious and easy when I dreamed of playing Cricket game which i was dying to play. Quickly, i dragged my laptop onto my bed, and spent hours playing it. I was supposed to sleep at that time, but my mind was too excited and busy about the game that i just didn't want to drop it.

However, around 4 something, something came. A message from Ignatius came informing me that there would be a CG gathering of Bible Study that night. I ignored the message the first time i read it. Putting the phone aside, i continued playing. it was until 5 something that another thing struck me suddenly. I was surfing on the Internet when suddenly i was put with the question, 'what are you doing?' i was brought back to witness every single thing i did after the examination: the canteen, the Cricket and the movie.

I opened the message again. This time i realize i need to make the right choice: to go or not to go, to spend my evening with meaningless activities or to spend my evening with something of meaning. Of course at that time, i have reasons and excuses to back my decision of not going as something meaningful. But i knew the thing i get at the end of the day would be better than the earlier.

Looking back on this example, i realize that we all do not just make choices, choices determine the kind of life we will have. And once we make a decision, that's us who is making the decision, not others.

We determine our own destiny by making the right decision. And if we don't make conscious choices, we may not even reach the goal that we have predetermined. Yet, conscious decisions are not easily attained. A big or major choice requires conscious and careful consideration of praying, meditating and spending more silent time with ourselves.

Whatever the decision, always remember to 'keep on the sunny side, always on the sunny side, keep on the sunny side of life'.

to wangsa maju

Is there such thing as a never-ending grand ceremony? Most likely no. I once heard a Chinese proverb that says that, there is no such thing in the world as never-ending grand occasion. Somehow, it implies that no matter how lovely and special people come together at a place and get to know each other, a time will come when they have to say goodbye. And I think tonight, I have experienced this feeling ever so greatly and strongly. My Wangsa friends, with whom i have stayed with for the past 5 years, are going to leave this place for good soon.

and, there will be no more wangsa

I have been staying at my friend's place for almost five years regardless of the 2 years abroad. In retrospect, Wangsa Maju was a place i find peace and fun whenever i feel like running away from IPBA. Living in IPBA is good, but sometime it can be quite horrendous. Often, this will be the runaway place for me during weekends or holiday. This friend of mine, kyo (Dee Cheong) has always been there to welcome me no matter how busy he is, despite us fighting and scolding and disturbing each other at times.

Reflecting on the time when i left Malaysia, i realized i did not actually miss Wangsa that much. In many ways, i always thought that Wangsa will still be there even when i come back next time, hence, i don't have to worry too much about me losing Wangsa or my friend leaving me. And yes, indeed, Wangsa is still a place where i hang out at every weekend.

But thing has changed and time has changed. My two friends here have finished their study, and soon they will be going back to Sibu. And before long, they will be leaving to Singapore in search of new jobs. And, sooner i won't be coming back to the house again. Sooner, i won't see this house anymore. And sooner i too am leaving this place.

Somehow, the feeling of seeing people leaving is more heartbreaking than me leaving a place. This feeling is agonizing. For the past years, i was the one who left places. Hence the depressing feeling came when i was te one who had to leave the place. Hence, it never daunts on me that i would feel such agonized seeing people leaving around me.

Somehow, seeing people leaving around me makes me realized that i am no longer a child anymore. In childhood, children will come from different neighourhood and play together. But now, i am more of a grown-up person who need to plan and manage my own life. Very soon, i am entering adulthood where my daily routine will evolve around work, eat and sleep. Who knows, a new routine of building family may come in near future.

Anyway, the memories that are left in wangsa maju can always remain: the good and the bad times, the sweet and the sour memories. Maybe what's said of that there is no such thing in the world as never-ending grand occasion is in fact very true. We all have to grow up in age inevitably, even if one refuses. Yet one can always choose in his maturity, for maturity is not relative to one's age.

Good night.

26 guards

(taken from a 4warded e-mail)

Here's a message that will bring you chills. Have
you ever felt the urge to pray for someone and then
just put it on a list and said, "I'll pray for them
later?"

Or has anyone ever called you and said, "I need you
to pray for me, I have this need?"

Read the following story that was sent to me and may
it change the way that you may think about prayer and
also the way you pray.

You will be blessed by this.

A missionary on furlough told this true story while
visiting his home church in Michigan.

"While serving at a small field hospital in Africa,
every two weeks I traveled by bicycle through the
jungle to a nearby city for supplies. This
was a journey of two days and required camping
overnight at the halfway point.

On one of these journeys, I arrived in the city
where I planned to collect money from a bank,
purchase medicine, and supplies,and then begin my
two-day journey back to the field hospital.

Upon arrival in the city, I observed two men
fighting, one of whom had been
seriously injured. I treated him for his injuries
and at the same time
talked to him about the Lord.

I then traveled two days, camping overnight, and
arrived home without incident.

Two weeks later I repeated my journey.

Upon arriving in the city, I was approached by the
young man I had treated.
He told me that he had known I carried money and
medicines. He said, 'Some friends and I followed
you into the jungle, knowing you would camp
overnight. We planned to kill you and take your
money and drugs.

But just as we were about to move into your camp, we
saw that you were surrounded by 26 armed guards.

At this, I laughed and said that I was certainly all
alone in that jungle campsite.

The young man pressed the point, however, and said,
'No, sir, I was not the
only person to see the guards, my friends also saw
them, and we all counted them.. It was because of
those guards that we were afraid and left you alone.'

At this point in the sermon, one of the men in the
congregation jumped to his feet and interrupted the
missionary and asked if he could tell him the
exact day this happened.

The missionary told the congregation the date, and
the man who interrupted told him this story:

"On the night of your incident in Africa, it was
morning here and I was preparing to go play golf.
I was about to putt when I felt the urge to pray
for you. In fact, the urging of the Lord was so
strong, I called men in this church to meet with
me here in the sanctuary to pray for you. Would
all of those men who met with me on that day stand up?"

The men who had met together to pray that day stood
up. The missionary wasn't concerned with who they were,
he was too busy counting how many men he saw.

There were 26.

This story is an incredible example of how the
Spirit of the Lord moves in mysterious ways.
If you ever hear such prodding, go along with it.

Nothing is ever hurt by prayer except the gates of
hell. I encourage you to forward this to as many people as you know.

If we all take it to heart, we can turn this world
toward God once again. As the above true story clearly
illustrates, "with God all things are possible".

More importantly, how God hears and answers the
prayers of the faithful.

After you read this, please pass it on and give God
thanks for the beautiful gift of your faith,
for the powerful gift of prayer, and for the many
miracles He works in your own daily life... and then
pass it on. Who says God does not work in mysterious ways

I asked the Lord to bless you as I prayed for you
today. To guide you and protect you as you go along your way.
His love is always with you, His promises are true,
and when we give Him our cares you know He will
see us through.

So when the road you're traveling on seems difficult
at best, Just remember I'm here praying, and God will do the rest.

Pass this on to those whom you want God to bless.