Got wheels... but only two

Item 1: 26" Nexus Pro S-Series GH26706, full suspension.

Price: RM369. Got it for RM300.

Item 2: Iron Mag helmet, F-38R. Mine's the top right one.

Price: RM148. Got it for RM78.

Item 3: Quicksilver spiral lock. Mine's the one on the left.

Price: RM29.80. Got it for RM18.

Item 4: Zero SHL-01 bicycle head light, six white LEDs.

Price: RM53. Got it for RM45.

Item 5: Zero STL-01 bicycle tail light, five red LEDs.

Price: RM35. Got it for RM28.

Total price without discount: RM634.80. Got it for RM460.

Syarikat R. N. Samy rocks! My thanks to 4 Einstein students for recommending that place.

What about my Iswara?

They can give it to me by Christmas.

What about my Ford Laser?

They can give it back anytime before Rapture.

Look out for a math teacher on a bicycle with full formal clothes. Laugh not when he arrives in style.

Bicycle!

I’m going to get a bicycle tomorrow.

The workshop man cannot find spare parts for my Ford Laser. It’s so old, even museums don’t have them. I guess they’ll have to rip off the spare parts from some kereta potong. Until today, the progress on the repair is still at 0%. Can be done in 4 days, huh.

I’m done waiting, hitching rides, troubling others, and paying the taxi man. I'm done waking up every morning feeling utterly helpless. I'm done swallowing the losses incurred during my immobility. I’m going to get a bicycle. Tomorrow.

Do I know how to cycle? No.

The furthest I cycled is around that little patch of grass in Chinese Swimming Club, while waiting for lifesaving centralized training to start. Yes, that’s what Team Malaysia does while waiting for training to start. We learn to cycle.

The other time I remember cycling was when I was a kid, living in Jalan Mayang Pasir, Bayan Baru. My bicycle had another two wheels attached to the back wheel.

I guess I must’ve spent too much time at the pool during my growing up years. I don’t have decent balance on a bicycle. Much less on roller blades or skates.

I think it will be alright to cycle to school and back. It’s just nearby. It takes 30 minutes on foot. I guess cycling will cut it to 10 minutes.

There’s not much traffic in my kampung area. Accident risk is low.

Well, even if an accident happens… It’s not such a bad idea after all. It merely hastens a process. Hasten Ministries. We get you there. Fast.

What will happen to my Iswara when it comes? I guess my logic will prevail. I will “take good care of it.” Keep it for display.

What happens to my Ford Laser then? I guess the crooks will prevail. I’ll just donate it to them as scrap metal. I’m done trying to get it back. Saves me the hassle of trying to get rid of it next time anyway.

On the bright side… With a bicycle, I’m one step closer to my long-abandoned triathlon dream.

Dark Justice

A guy bangs my car from behind. He tries to give a fake phone number, but it didn’t work. He gives a fake IC number. He refuses to answer my calls. He refuses to make a police report. When he finally does, he gives a completely different story with a totally different location.

We are forced to come to the police station again to settle the two contradicting stories. He brings the police to the fake accident location. He dramatizes it cover up his false testimony.

The police isn’t smart enough to see who’s the liar and who’s pants is on fire. She refuses to make any decision. She refuses to listen to any arguments. She shuts us off and goes to her superior officer. She doesn’t want to handle the case on her own. She prefers to act by proxy under her superior’s instructions.

Can’t a Sergeant handle a debate? Can’t she even do simple analysis? How are they gonna handle fraud?

In the end, that guy got slapped with a standard fine of RM300. For negligence on his part. I think he deserves more. For giving false testimony, obstructing the course of justice, bringing inconvenience to the police, causing even greater inconvenience to me, and for financial losses incurred when I am unable to travel around.

Does the system work?

First of all, the police must be smart people. They uphold the law. People go to them to seek justice. Taxpayers expect them to be able to arbitrate simple cases like road accidents. If they can’t even do that, how are they gonna catch real crooks?

How much qualification do you need in order to join the police force? You don’t employ police officers because they used to do lontar peluru or lempar cakera for their school or district.

Sometimes, I wish there is some kind of dark angel of justice. It hovers around and executes judgment to crooks. Swiftly and justly. No need to talk so much.

You wrong, you die. End.

We have a developed judiciary system. We have laws. But I wonder… Does it work?

Enter Altantuya Shariibuu. Mongolian woman gets blown up into bits by a bomb. Political analyst pulls of a Shaggy. It’s the policemen who did it.

"So? Say it wasn't you!"

It was mentioned in the papers some time ago that there is some concern about prosecution lawyers. Prosecution lawyers are not being trained well enough to put two and two together. They are not good enough to pinpoint the offense to the offender. Therefore, the offender goes free. Even if you know it, it means nothing if you can’t prove it.

Imagine this. Your daughter gets murdered. Your lawyer has trouble linking the murder to the murderer. Your whole family goes through all kinds of inconvenience, drama, media attention, stress, and trauma. You can’t even be sure if justice will be served.

Even if justice is finally served, you’ve already been unjustifiably traumatized throughout the proceedings. Is that just?

Imagine if the prosecution lawyer failed, and justice isn’t served.

There is this old TV series. Dark Justice. He finds out about the criminals in court. The guy is lawyer by day. Judge by night.

"I believed in the system. But now I believe... In justice."

This guy is cool too. Judge Dredd. Police, lawyer, judge, executioner... All rolled into one.

"I am... The law!!"

Check out what this old prophet said:

O Lord, how long shall I cry,
And You will not hear?
Even cry out to You, “Violence!”
And You will not save.

Why do you show me iniquity,
And cause me to see trouble?
For plundering and violence are before me;
There is strife, and contention arises.

Therefore the law is powerless,
And justice never goes forth.
For the wicked surround the righteous;
Therefore perverse judgment proceeds. (Habakkuk 1:2-4)

Things haven’t changed much since 600 BC.

When you are confused, you'll pray...

Our Father in heaven
Hallo, what's your name
May I come? Will you be done?
My earth is not a heaven.

Give us money so we can buy bread.

Forgive us our sins,
Because it was THEM who sinned against us!!

Save us from the time of trial
And the lawyers who are evil.

For thine is the glory, the honour, and the power,
Forever and ever.

Amen.

Our Father in heaven, hallo what's your name

As my training for the Orang Asli trip next month, I started to read the Malay bible. Alkitab Indonesia.

Some observations I got when reading the same bible in a different language:

Pada mulanya adalah Firman; Firman itu bersama-sama dengan Allah dan Firman itu adalah Allah. (Yohanes 1:1)

Is it correct to substitute the name of our Yahweh, Jehovah God with a Malay equivalent of Allah? Well, at least the Indonesian bible says so.

While it is true that the God of the Muslims is not the same as the God of Christianity, can it be acceptable for both “Gods” to be called by the same name, Allah?

One can say yes, because Allah is basically a term meant to describe a monotheistic understanding of a transcendent, divine, almighty God. The Malay word for a transcendent, divine, almighty being is Allah. Thus, Allah is an accurate Malay equivalent for our Yahweh, Jehovah God.

One can also say no, because since Islam and Christianity are different, therefore its “Gods” cannot have the same name. There is a school of thought that the Muslim’s Allah is named after a moon god, which explains why the crescent that is symbolic to Islam (Disclaimer: Not much research has been done on this piece of information, therefore the extent of its accuracy cannot be vouched personally as yet). So if that is true, then how can we call Jehovah God as Allah?

It has to be clearly understood, at the offset, that Islam’s God and Christianity’s God are two different personalities. Yes, Islam and Christianity have some connection in genealogy that can be traced back to Ishmael and Isaac. Yes, Islam and Christianity have the same Taurat (the Pentateuch). But the God of Islam is different from the God of Christianity.

Islam’s God is transcendent and unknowable. Christianity’s God is transcendent, but yet knowable:

Firman itu telah menjadi manusia, dan diam di antara kita, dan kita telah melihat kemuliaan-Nya, iaitu kemuliaan yang diberikan kepada-Nya sebagai Anak Tunggal Bapa, penuh kasih karunia dan kebenaran. (Yohanes 1:14)

Christianity’s God is transcendent like Islam’s God. But unlike Islam, Christianity's God became flesh and made His dwelling among us. Mankind has seen His glory, the glory of the Son of God.

Also, when God became flesh, he was the perfect representation of who God really is:

Ia adalah gambar Allah yang tidak kelihatan, yang sulung, lebih utama dari segala yang diciptakan (Kolose 1:15)

We see Jesus Christ as the image of the invisible God. Christ is the perfect representation of God – an invisible God, made visible in the flesh. Therefore, since Jesus Christ is the perfect representation of God… When we see Christ, we see God!

Barangsiapa telah melihat Aku, ia telah melihat Bapa; bagaimana engkau berkata: Tunjukkanlah Bapa itu kepada kami. Tidak percayakah engkau, bahawa Aku di dalam Bapa dan Bapa di dalam Aku? (Yohanes 14:9-10)

Here’s the great divide: Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. When we see Christ, we see God the Father. Because both God the Father and God the Son are one. We know God because we know Christ. We know Christ, therefore we know God!

However, Muslims say Jesus Christ is not God. So, who is the Muslim’s “God in heaven?”

Surely that “God” is a different one.

Here’s another great divide: Both Islam and Christianity believe that there is only one, true God. If the Muslim’s God is different from the Christian’s God, and if there can be only one God… then somebody’s God is not God. That is the only logical conclusion to make. Who says both Gods can be the same.

But we’re back at the same question. Is it accurate to say that a Malay equivalent of our Jehovah God is Allah?

I think it’s a debate between whether Allah is a name of God, or Allah is a term for a transcendent, divine, almighty God. If it is the former, then Allah cannot be used as a Malay equivalent for Jehovah God. If it is the latter, then Allah is an accurate translation for God.

Or, the other option is… Why not just use Tuhan and end the confusion.

Creation stealers

My mail got stolen.

Mei Yee sent me Creation magazine via Pos Ekspress. She sent it on Thursday. No sight of it on Friday. The envelope is found on the foot of the stairs on Saturday night.

It was drenched and wet. No magazine inside. It was Kepong Gospel Chapel's property. I'm so getting into trouble.

Some kiddo must've ripped it open, thinking something special must be inside. Probably he hasn't seen a Pos Ekspress envelope before. Yes, the magazine contains nice pictures. But I bet he can't even read it.

By now, maybe they're thinking that the cina guy on the 4th floor is subscribing to some illegal, overseas Christian literature. Maybe they think I'm some Judaist, Jew-loving extremist who reads propaganda material.

Everyone else has some Quran thingy stuck on their doors. Mine's blank. May as well put some "Jesus thing" on it, huh? To keep up with the fad.

I guess it was a wise choice after all, to not hang my clothes outside to dry. Especially if I'm the best-dressed person to leave my block every morning.

When my Iswara comes, I'll drape it with a protective cover... Like a Batmobile. So the kiddos won't think about writing "Fakrul" on my car.

Under the cover, I'll clamp all the tyres.

On my car doors, I'll install some kinda calculus puzzle lock.

On the steering wheel, I'll put two locks. One on top of the steering wheel, one locked to the gas pedal.

The alarm... Fixed to the boom box. When it goes off, it will blare "I LOVE YOU BABY..."

If you're already a propaganda-reading, Jew-loving, babi-eating, Jesus-loving cina... Imagine if they see you owning two cars.

This is a story of a boy...

The most belakang class in Form 4 is called 4 Earth. Earth!! Of all planets in our solar system, they must call the last class Earth. Is there any hope left for the world?

There is a Chinese boy in the class who seemed different. Once, when I was sitting in class for a relief period, I chatted up some of the boys. The funny thing is, I had to talk to Chinese boys in BM. But they liked to talk anyway.

I was telling them how hard would it be out there, if they don’t complete their education. “Kalau you tak habis form 5, you susah. Kalau tak score, tak apa. Tapi penting, mesti ada cert. Kalau SPM cert pun tak ada, lain kali you mau buat kerja apa?”

This Chinese boy told me, “Sir, you ajarlah kita. Supaya kita boleh belajar. Cikgu lain tak ajar.”

Nice try to curry favour from me. But I assured him if he really wants to learn, I’ll always be there to help.

I also mentioned it’s very important to learn English. This boy said, “Mak saya selalu suruh saya baca English.” “Bagus. Mak kamu pun tahu English itu penting. Kena baca banyak-banyak kalau nak bagus dalam English,” I said.

Once, I was invigilating an English exam in his class. They were doing composition. Among the rest of the class who were either doodling, drawing, sleeping or being a nuisance, this boy was earnestly trying to write his essay. Because of his limited vocabulary, he kept coming up to me to ask what words to use to express certain things. I helped him out a little. But when he kept coming up too often, I had to stop. “Ini sebenarnya peperiksaan,” I told him as I turned him away. But I was impressed at the effort he put in.

Today, I was giving out the answers for their Maths exam paper. Very few bothered to copy it. Much less to understand it. But this Chinese boy… He copied very quickly, and he asked how simultaneous equations work.

I explained it to him. And he was fast! He got it right away.

No, he didn’t pass his exam. Far from it. But I noticed he had a Pelangi Maths revision book on his table. “Ini you beli sendiri punya?” I asked. He nodded.

Later, he came up to me and showed me his exercises from the Pelangi book. He was trying to do the topic on significant figures. Looks like he was starting from the very beginning. He had copied everything out neatly, and asked me what significant figures meant. I showed him 2 examples. He got it right away!

I was doing a SPBT check on the class that day (Skim Pinjaman Buku Teks). Less than 5 students had textbooks from SPBT. None of them brought their textbooks. Most of them had requested for SPBT textbooks. But they didn’t get any. “Tak ada stok,” they said.

Most of them would be more than glad to have such a valid reason to not have a textbook. But this Chinese boy… He bought his own Pelangi revision book on his own initiative. I don’t know where he got his RM26 from.

I asked him about his parents. He does not have a father. His mother is a cashier.

I thought of tutoring him myself for free. But I don’t have the time to do it. Even if I can, I can only help him with his Math. I’m sure he can do well in Math, if he was given an opportunity. But what about his other subjects? He needs more than Math to get through his SPM. On my own, I am short-handed.

I thought of recommending him to a tuition center. But I’m sure he can’t afford it.

I asked him if he would like the opportunity to go to tuition for all his subjects – if I paid for it. He looked stunned. He asked me to clarify again. “Ya, kalau saya bayar semua.” His eyes gleamed with excitement. “Tapi you mesti janji you kena rajin pergi,” I said. He couldn’t wait to start. I asked him to tell no one.

I guess this Chinese boy was telling the truth when he said his other teachers were not teaching them. Who would, anyway. Realistically, it is an uphill battle. How would you find the strength to teach a class, if all of them – all, but one – look like they couldn’t care any less?

Today’s happenings made me think…

What does it say about the condition of our school, if we can’t even provide textbooks to those who need them the most?

What does it say about us, teachers, if we give up on the classes where “the scum” go to? Have we given up on them before they have given up on themselves? Have we been depriving them of hope? Are we the real cause that made them become what they are today?

What does it say about the education system in public schools, if students have to turn to tuition centers for a decent education? Has public schools ceased to give educational opportunities to those who cannot afford them?

“Execute true justice,
Show mercy and compassion
Everyone to his brother.
Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless,
The alien or the poor.” (Zechariah 7:9-10)

I’ve made it my personal mission to see this boy through his SPM.

Going to the chapel and we're...

The craze is on. Everyone is getting married!

When you get too many wedding invitations over a short span of time, you’ll feel like you’re getting a saman. Why? Because we’re Chinese. Our culture demands ang pows during wedding dinners.

When you receive a Chinese wedding invitation, you’ll want to see where the wedding dinner is going to be held. If it’s a simple dinner at an affordable place, you can give a small ang pow. If it’s a high-class dinner at an expensive place, you have to give a big ang pow. The size of your ang pow should be in accordance with the size of the wedding dinner. They even write down your names as you give your angpows! Imagine if you give a midget-sized ang pow? You’ll get dirty looks.

Some wedding planners will advice you to do your invitations wisely. They’ll tell you to invite people whom you think is likely to help you cover your wedding costs. You cannot simply invite all your friends, if all your friends are from the middle or lower income group. You have to invite people who are not close to you as well, if they are from the upper income group. You can’t afford a posh wedding, right? But you do want to make it special. Inviting the correct people is the key.

Woah. You’ll be surprised! Some will say “No lah, I’m sure she’s not that kind of person. She won’t purposely have a big wedding at expensive place, and expect people to give big ang pows to ‘pay her back.’ ”

Well, yes, that may be true. In fact, I believe that should be right way to go about it. You don’t plan an extravagant wedding and expect people to cover the costs for you. You should plan a wedding that is within your means, and make it meaningful in ways that does not involve high costs. If people do give you ang pows, then you can take it as a gift. A blessing. Not as an expectation.

However, the thing is, we cannot underestimate the Cina in us! Even if your friend who is getting married doesn’t think that way, it doesn’t mean her spouse wouldn’t think that way. It doesn’t mean her parents wouldn't think that way. Or her spouse’s parents wouldn’t think that way.

Also, if you’re getting married and you don't expect ang pows as “pay back”, it doesn’t mean that other people will think the same way. For example, let’s say you do decide to have an extravagant wedding. You can afford it. You don’t want people to give you big ang pows to “compensate” your costs. You just want people to share the occasion with you, and be happy for your wedding.

However, the recipient of your wedding invitation may not think that you think that way! They'll think, "Of course, you wouldn’t explicitly say that you’re expecting big ang pows, even if you really are expecting it, isn’t it?" It’s an unspoken, cultural understanding. So, if it’s an unspoken understanding, people would assume the culture to give big ang pows. Face is more important than pain.

There’s no escaping it, no matter how you choose to think. You want people to “compensate” your wedding costs? It’s already a cultural rule, so you don’t have to worry about it. You don’t want people to feel that way? It’s already a cultural rule, so they’re gonna assume you’re expecting “compensation” anyway.

Alas, we’re already married to our culture even before we’re married!

Look to the way of the Malay wedding. Wedding invitation is made of manila kad. Inside, a piece of paper is glued on it.

First page… Doa untuk pengantin.

Second page… The invitation to invite you and your family. No need to RSVP. No need to tell how many people are coming.

Third page… Jamuan makan is 12:00 tengah hari – 5:00 petang. You can come anytime. Ang pow? Whassat?? Even RM5 is already a big gift for them. Because their culture does not expect anything in return.

Fourth page… Map. The wedding and the jamuan is held in their backyard. They block up the road, and put up tents.

The day before the wedding, they’ll send some dispatch boys to hammer wooden signs at junctions. Amira & Suhaimi *arrow pointing right*. Farah & Hisham *arrow pointing left*.

Cool, isn’t it? Simple and nice, no trouble at all.

Have you wondered about what to put on your wedding card? To cut through all the trouble, I think it’s best to be short, sweet and explicit.

Like this:

First page…for the wedding dinner…










COME AND EAT
WEAR NEAT NEAT
DON’T BE LATE
MAKE SURE PAID!





Second page…for the church wedding ceremony…










COME AND SEE
THIS ONE, FREE!

Why cannot chor tai dee?

Where does it say in the Bible that it is wrong to gamble?

No where.

So, why do we get so uptight about gambling? Why do we say it’s wrong to gamble with card games during Chinese New Year? Why do we say it’s wrong to go to casinos? Why do we say it’s not right to buy lottery tickets? Isn’t the stock market a form of legalized gambling?

Actually, we don’t have to get legalistic about this. The principle is very simple. It can be found no further than the second commandment.

“You shall have no other gods before Me.” (Exodus 20:3).

You see, it basically boils down to a matter of greed. If the activity of gambling facilitates our greed, then our greed will lead to idolatry. Money becomes the god that occupies our heart.

Back to the Chinese New Year thing. Why is it that we can’t gamble? Gambling with only a few cents won’t hurt, will it? What if we use peanuts? What’s a few bucks, as long as I don’t raise the stakes above RM2 per round?

The question is not the amount of the bet. The question is, why bet at all? If the stakes are too small, it wouldn’t hurt if you lose. It wouldn’t be pleasurable if you win. It is too small to have any significance in any way, isn’t it?

So why bet at all? Play it for free, purely for pleasure.

Ah… Then it’s not so fun anymore, isn’t it? Admit it. Placing a bet, however small, made all the difference.

So, what if I limit myself to just small bets? Having little pleasures in life wouldn’t hurt, will it?

Yeah, true. But you see, human tolerance for pleasure is stretchable. The small things that once brought pleasure won’t be pleasurable anymore after some time. You’ll want bigger pleasures. You’ll want to place bigger bets to get the same effect.

Hence, down the slippery slope we go. Soon, we can no longer tell the difference whether we’re playing it for pleasure, or to fulfill an addiction.

Before we know it, we’ll be just too ready to pull out a deck of cards with some coins on the table to while away our time. “Just for pleasure,” we’ll say. Yeah, just small bets. Yeah, just for the next 10 minutes. While waiting for lunch. While waiting for the bus. While waiting for dinner, which won’t be ready until the next 3 hours.

And we wonder why we carry our deck of cards with us all day long. Soon, to maintain the same level of pleasure, the stakes are raised.

From pleasure, to addiction. From addiction, to greed. From greed, to idolatry. If you can't tell where it leads, why start at all? Same applies to visiting casinos, buying lottery tickets, and playing with stocks unwisely. Morally wrong, principally incorrect.

However, there was this incident that blurred the lines a little.

My father shared this incident that happened to a Burmese man. His church has a ministry for foreign workers, and they have a group of Burmese there. They work as rough laborers in Malaysia. The church looks after them and gives them support in any practical way they can.

The foreign workers pay their agents thousands of Ringgit just to get into Malaysia. These men left their wives and children in Myanmar, and came to Malaysia to work, hoping to make a better living. With the little that they have, they send it back to their wives and children. Often, they have close to nothing left for food. They don’t have medical allowances when they fall sick. It would take them many years just to pay back their agents. What more to make a decent living in Malaysia.

One day, my father got a phonecall. “Saya kena loteri!” The Burmese guy said. He won RM10,000! He doesn’t have a Malaysian IC, so he needed someone to get the prize money on his behalf. He asked his boss to do it for him. But his boss wanted a commission of RM2,000. Having no one else to trust, he turned to my father.

So, my father went to the lottery shop, took out the money, and gave it to the Burmese guy and his friends. My father asked for nothing in return. But the Burmese insisted my father to accept an envelope of thanks from them. Inside it, RM500.

Almost immediately, the Burmese sent the money back to their families. After that, they had a really fun day. Just basic fun on food, drinks and small luxuries of life. And yeah, they were happy that day. Really happy.

Well, on one hand, my father told them it was not right to gamble. One can go on to present the whole set of arguments on why it is wrong to buy lottery tickets. Encouraged by this win, they may go on to buy lottery tickets from every lottery company, every day of the week. That’s not gonna be the right path to go by.

Morally wrong? Yes. Principally incorrect? Yes.

But as for the Burmese, somehow I felt happy for them. That day, somebody’s wife in a far away place had some money to live by. Some children could buy food to eat. Some family member could see a doctor and sleep well that night. That day, somebody who lived a lifetime of hardship tasted a short time of happiness.

In the light of compassion, sometimes certain rules can get blurred.

The Other Side Of The Coin

More on "are you prepared to retire". I asked another person about financial health. Here's what he said:

"Let me give you an example. Look at my parents. They don't have any savings at all. But they get through day by day, just fine."

How come? Because they have filial children who look after them.

"Don't worry too much about it. The data is taken from 'ideal models', targeted for upper bracket people. It's for people who want family holidays. People who want to live in dream homes. Those who want to give their children the 'best education.' "

I guess in some sense, it's true. If you are the type who wants to go for vacations... If you're the type who thinks about having a second or third piece of property... If you're the type who believes in enrolling your kids in the best colleges for the best courses... If you're the type who drives an Alfa Romeo... And lives like a Romeo... The you gotta have more money.

"When you are of age, what's most important is your health. You may have a lot of money. But if you don't have health, you can't enjoy anything at all."

True also. If the money you've accumulated all these years are blown on medical expenses, you'll never have enough money. But if you have good health, you don't even need that kind of money.

"The most important thing is, to live righteously. Don't lie, don't cheat, don't cut corners, don't chiak chua. Be kind, give to the needy, honour God."

"If you do unscrupulous things, if you are dishonest or selfish... Yes, you may get more money. But you will lose something elsewhere. For example, your motorbike rosak. You need to repair your watch. You need to pay up here. Or you owe some money there. In the end, you get nothing."

He told me how in his past, he tried to cut work ethics just to earn more money. And true enough, as long as he did that, he never had enough.

"But if you do the right thing, and be generous, you'll find that somehow, your money will come back to you. Sometimes, even more. Like, everything you do will go smoothly. You won't encounter many problems in life. You'll find opportunities coming your way. You'll get blessings that you never thought of. In the end, you're better off than those who only think about hoarding money."

He gave examples of people who lived only for themselves. People I knew who loved to hoard money. Real people who lived selfishly. They either lived alone, or died alone with no one at their funeral. They are successful people. But nobody likes them.

"Have you ever heard me saying 'I'm really in need' or 'We don't have any more money?' "

Thinking back, it's true. He never said that at all.

"The bible says the wicked do not prosper. Even if they do, they only look as though they are prospering. But actually, they have other problems that you don't know of."

The bible also says it's true:

A little that a righteous man has
Is better than the riches of many wicked.
For the arms of the wicked shall be broken
But the Lord upholds the righteous.

The Lord knows the days of the upright
And their inheritance shall be forever.
They shall not be ashamed in the evil time
And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.

But the wicked shall perish
And the enemies of the Lord,
Like the splendor of the meadows, shall vanish
Into smoke they shall vanish away.

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord
And He delights in his way.
Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down
For the Lord upholds him with His hand.

I have been young, and now am old
Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken
Not his descendants begging bread.
His is ever merciful, and lends
And his descendants are blessed.

(Psalms 37:16-20, 23-26)

Well... I think it's good advice. Coming from a man who has lived for more than 5 decades.

That man is my father.

He owns 4 cars.

All of them, old cars :)

The Power Of Logic

Mei Yee thinks my blog is boring. She’s more addicted to other people’s blogs. “See, what they write is so much more interesting!”

Ok, so I thought.

M came to Mei Yee’s house last night. She checked her blog at Mei Yee’s computer. “I dunno how to reply all of them. So many comments! All of them about different things!” She said.

What interesting thing she must’ve written, I thought.

So I asked her what she wrote.

“It’s about the time I had to send my sister off somewhere, and I had to wait for 2 hours. I had nothing to do, so I went to Starbucks. I ordered hot vanilla, sat in a corner, went online with my laptop… I felt it was sooo nice! So I wrote about how nice it was to be at Starbucks…”

Bla bla bla.

And yeah, she got tonnes of responses! “Ooh, I like Starbucks!” “I want Starbucks coffee too!” “I’ve had Starbucks 3 times this week!”

“It’s the simple things in life that people find interesting. Not issues.” Mei Yee said flatly.

Yeah. Like “The time I had wind in my tummy.” Or, “Guess what I had for lunch today!” Haha. Hahaha. Hahahahaha!

Well, maybe she’s right. Maybe it’s the simple, daily stuff that people find interesting. Or maybe it’s just M. Because she attracts a lot of lalat all the time anyway! :)

Why do I write what I write? Follow this syllogism:

If I can write x words, I want x words to be beneficial stuff.
I’m going to write x words.
Therefore, I want x words to be beneficial stuff.

It’s just that. Plain and simple. If I have a limited amount of time, a limited amount of space, and a certain number of words to string together, I’d want to do it for something worthwhile. Why do something under the constraints that you already have, if you know it wouldn’t amount to anything more than nothing?

Ok, maybe it’s just my logic. It may not seem logical to others. But it makes perfect sense to me.

Give you another example:

If something is precious to me, I would take care of it.
I have a RM300 watch.
Therefore, I would take care of it.

I won a Seiko watch worth RM300 as a Seiko Award Candidate some time ago. It’s a national award for lifesaving in Malaysia. 2nd place.

It’s precious, it’s expensive, and it’s like a “trophy achievement” for me. Of course I’d take good care of it! So I went out and bought a RM60 Casio watch for daily use. My RM300 Seiko watch sits enshrined in its case among my other trophies.

Do you think it's weird? But it makes sense to me! Why would I want a prize that I’ve worked so hard for to be scratched, rusted, accidentally knocked, or even stolen? Isn’t it better to keep it safely displayed in a box?

Give you another example:

If something is precious to me, I would take care of it.
I have a brand new Proton Iswara.
Therefore, I would take care of it.

My Iswara is not here yet.











But I’m already thinking of getting a bicycle.

























I’m worried about the way I think.

Money Where Can Enough

"70% of retirees use up all their EPF money within three years after retiring."

Why… Poor financial management? Probably it happens to only a few people.

"Only 5% of Malaysians are prepared for retirement."

Ok, so it does not happen to only a few people. Maybe it’s because their EPF is too little?

"Inflation rate is 6% in urban areas."

"RM500,000 in your EPF at retirement may have the purchasing power of RM145,053 in 20 years."

"3 meals a day at RM20 now may cost RM64 in 20 years."

"A family with 2 kids and 2 cars needs RM747,000 if the retired wage-earner were to live for 25 years after retirement. But in average, he only has RM106,000 in his EPF when he retires."

So, inflation is the culprit. Remember how people always say money is never enough? It’s true! Half a million may not be enough to see you through your old age.

On the day of your retirement, you go and cash in your EPF. The first question you’ll ask yourself is, which will happen first – death, or bankruptcy?

Let’s say after you cash in your EPF, you go for a medical checkup.

Doctor: I’m sorry, Mr. Lim. You have less than 20 years left to live.

Mr. Lim: You mean I won’t live past 20 years, starting from today?

Doctor: Umm… Yes, I’m afraid so.

Mr. Lim: You mean… I’ll die before my EPF runs out?

Doctor: I… Umm… I guess…

Mr. Lim: YES!!! I mean… oh no… ummm… *confused*

And as if it can’t get any worse…

"Medical inflation is 15% each year."
-all quotes taken from The Star, May 27.

So what do we do?

We can earn as much money as we can, while we can! No… That doesn’t sound right, does it? That will be going down the path of materialism.

The other alternative is, we can invest! Yes… Even Jesus said in a parable that it is better to invest than to do nothing with the money.

But invest where?

On one end of the spectrum, people who don’t want to worry about money invest in fixed deposits. It’s the safest thing to do. It keeps your attention off money, gives you peace of mind, and it gives you a guaranteed profit upon maturity.

However, the interest rate for fixed deposits is 3.80% per annum. It’s below the inflation rate of 6%. Your money will just shrink with time. At your old age, you’ll still be wondering if death or bankruptcy will happen first.

On the other end of the spectrum, people who are risk-takers invest in the stock market. Big profits in a brief period of time.

However, the thing about stocks is, it can go up today. And it can also go down tomorrow. So you’ll have to monitor your stock investments all the time. Your attention will be captivated by the stock market. You can’t pass a day without worrying about it. Hence, you lose the fight against the lust of materialism.

In the middle of the spectrum, people who are moderate investors go for trust funds. But consider the irony…

If you invest in normal trust funds, you can be sure that your investment will be go into tobacco, alcohol or gambling. That doesn’t sound quite right, does it?

If you invest in Islamic Trust Funds, you can be sure that your investment won’t go into tobacco, alcohol or gambling. But the thing is, you’re investing in an Islamic thingy. That doesn’t sound quite right either, does it?

Is this one of the cases where there is no such thing as doing the right thing?

A friend said that it can be seen in this way: You invest in normal, non-Islamic trust funds. Your money goes to tobacco, alcohol or gambling. Those “sinful” companies will reap big profits. Therefore, they will pay big amounts of “sin tax” to the government. And the government can use the money to build infrastructures, develop rural areas, improve economy, etc. Hence, it gives rise to a better Malaysia and a better life.

So, it’s a case of “turning evil into a better good”, huh?

But when you walk by a liquor store, when you see families being broken because fathers are drunkards, when you see under-aged youth buying cigarettes when they could’ve had healthier addictions, when you see aunties and uncles wasting their EPF money at casinos, lottery tickets and “da ma cai”… How much do you really wanna be part of the cause?

I wonder and wonder…

I think and I ponder…

I think about my mansion in heaven. Where I don’t have to worry about house loans, car loans, investments and inflation. Where the rich don’t live in debt. Where the rich in God are truly rich.

10 Things I Miss About Penang

1. Great shopping malls. Can get to shopping malls at minimal cost. No need to think of jam factor. No need to worry about petrol. No need to agonize over “shall I take the LRT, or shall I drive?” The only thing you need to think of is which shopping mall you wanna go to.

2. Great food. You don't need to worry about price. You actually get to choose which kind of food you want, and which taste you’re hungry for. Economy factor and volume factor comes last. Char koay teow. Laksa. Loh mee. Hokkien mee. Sotong bakar…

3. Great drivers. Motorcyclists come at you from right and left. When you put on signal lights to change lane, it doesn’t mean you’ll get to change lane. When there’s a no parking sign, it doesn’t mean people won’t park there. When it’s a main road, it doesn’t mean people won’t stop there. Penang… Where great drivers are born.

4. Great parking. No need to worry about sky-high parking fees. There are lots of places you can park. You see where got people park, you just park there also. No need to pay wan.

No need to find the nearest parking machine. No need to always have 50-cent coins with you. No need to lock your car door, walk from the car to the parking machine, get your parking ticket, go back to your car, open the door, put the ticket on your dashboard, and lock your car door again.

In Penang, we still use the human parking system. The parking attendant comes and puts the parking ticket on your car. If he cannot be found when you’re about to leave, you can drive off and run away.

5. Great internet access. You don’t have to spend more than 10 bucks at Starbucks to enjoy free Wifi. You can go to Nasi Kandar Istimewa, order a limau ais, and go online for as long as you want. If your battery runs out, you can charge your battery there for an additional RM1.

Paling best, go to Borders at Queensbay Mall. You can sit at the magazine area just beside Starbucks, and enjoy free internet access. No need to order limau ais or Frappucino. Just pay RM1 per entry for your parking fee.

6. Great communication. When you see a Chinese guy, you automatically know which language to use. Just speak Hokkien. You can be sure that he will understand. You won’t look like a stuck-up chinese, speaking ang-mor. Guarantee they will layan you much better. If someone cannot understand Hokkien, he is the odd one out. Not you.

7. Great beaches. If you want to go to the beach, you can choose which beach you want to go to. Beach for makan and scenery, go Esplanade. Beach for hiking, go Pantai Kerachut. Beach for picnic, go Batu Ferringhi in the morning. Beach for pirated DVDs and authentic pasar malam products (guarantee fake), go Batu Ferringhi at night.

8. Great parks. If you wanna exercise, go Youth Park. Got jogging track. Got playground. Got fitness ground. Got foot reflexology pebble path. Got skating rink. Got extreme sports skateboarding rink. Got football field. Got netball court. Got ping-pong table Got tai-chi gang. Latest one, got swimming pool!

If you wanna see monkey, go Botanical Gardens. Mutiara Perdana got also. Block Cempaka, 4th floor, M-5.

9. Great hills. If wanna get fit, go Bukit Dumbar. Got people go jogging there all the time. Got squash court also. Nicol David’s training ground. If you look closely enough, you can still see her sweat stains on the court. If you wipe it with your handkerchief and keep it in your pocket, it will bring you good luck. If you’re still reading this and you think I’m serious, then something is wrong with you :)

If wanna enjoy cool weather, and green serenity, go to Penang Hill. Take the train up if you malas. Hike up if you rajin. Take long walks at the top of the hill, see all the quaint mountain houses, breathe fresh air, enjoy the peace and relax your mind. When hungry, there’s hot food served at the cafeteria. If you like reading, bring a good book with you, order a hot milo and spicy kacang kuda. You can sit there all day. If you want a 1-day getaway, you can book a room there and spend the night in a colonial-style hotel. Come down the next day, fresh and reinvigorated.

10. Great state anthem.

Selamat Tuhan kurniakan
Selamat Pulau Pinang
Negeriku yang mulia, ku taat dan setia
Aman dan bahagia.
Majulah, jayalah,
Negeriku yang ku cinta
Bersatu dan bersama
Untuk negeri kita.

Notice no praise-heaping about any particular person happens here. You don’t have to mention the name of which God you’re singing about. You can sing it without being an apostate. That’s why it’s unique :)

Easy Come, Easy Go

Finally got my pay yesterday! My long awaited, 3-month pay! I almost felt like jumping up and down at the bank. But scared that the security might throw me out. Hehehe... I was down to RM111.11 in my bank account. The cash injection came at just the right time... to spoil the number in my account :)

I went to Putrajaya today to get my payslip. Didn't want to wait for it to arrive at my school after the holidays. The longer I wait, the later my Iswara will arrive. Up to today, the process of getting my Iswara is still at Step 0. Without my payslip, I can't get a loan. So, I thought I'd better take action and hasten the process.

I learned that you need RM50 to get to Putrajaya via public transport! Terminal Putra to KL Central via LRT. KL Central to Putrajaya station via KLIA Transit. Putrajaya station to Parcel E 12 building via taxi. Then reverse the process to get back.

While waiting at KL Central to get back to Terminal Putra, I saw a foreign-looking couple. Maybe from Taiwan or Korea. The girl beckoned to the guy. She pointed to a sign that says "No chewing gum". And the guy spit his chewing gum into a rubbish bin.

Where do they think they are... Japan?? Hahahaha! I was smiling at the sight of that.

After arriving at Terminal Putra, I went to Sri Gombak. Emptied half of my 3-month salary for my Iswara's downpayment. I went straight to the Proton showroom before I got robbed, and passed my payslip to my agent.

I learned that the 3.1% Bank Rakyat loan was a farce. Learned that all other banks are offering the same amount anyway. So I'll be "working" for Bank Rakyat for the next 7 years at 3.88% interest rate.

I also learned that the price for Proton Iswara will be going up next month! By June, it will cost an extra RM3k. Good thing I rushed to see my agent to hand him my pay slip!

I managed to talk him into tinting my windows for free. And I'm changing my order to a "orange-like-Gen-2" colour.

So, yeah the Putrajaya trip was worth it. Better RM50 and 5 hours of my time, than to bear RM3000 over a much longer period of time.

In God's timing, it's all good:

1) The delay in getting a loan means my Iswara will be delayed.

2) The delay up to the 11th hour also means that by the time my Iswara comes, my salary will be steady enough to pay off the installments. If it had come any earlier, I may not afford to foot it.

And yeah... I'm halfway near broke again. After giving my tithe, I'll be even nearer. The church piano would better play a comforting tune when the offering bag is passed around. I need to feel soothed. Hehe...

You know why they make money using paper?

So it can fly.

Top 10 Peeves + 2

Be angry, and do not sin: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.

According to Ephesians 4:26. From the easiest to do, to the hardest. In ascending order.

12) Clutter. It takes up space. It is disorganized. You can’t move about freely when there is a lot of clutter. And you can’t find things where you want them.

11) Things not working when you need them the most. Sometimes it’s the car. Sometimes it’s the computer. Sometimes it’s the internet. Sometimes it’s the printer. Sometimes it’s the DVD you just bought. Etc.

10) People who talk in cinemas. Especially those who spoil the show. Or give commentaries, ruining the effect of the scene. You’ve paid good money for a show you’ve been looking forward to watch for a long time. And someone takes it away from you.

9) Being forgetful. You forget one small, simple thing. And it becomes a very big inconvenience.

8) Deliberate anonymity. See long story at http://hastenministries.blogspot.com/2007/04/whats-in-name.html

7) Getting interrupted when you’re talking. You’ve been interrupted, but you don’t want to give in to the interrupter. So you go on talking, hoping that the interrupter gets the hint. But the interrupter keeps on talking too. He goes on talking louder and louder, hoping to drown you out, oblivious to the fact that he was interrupting. So both continue talking, and nobody listens. The one who can keep on talking the longest, wins.

6) Getting told how to dress. Or, getting told what kind of clothes to buy with your own money, when you didn’t ask for advice. I believe dressing is somehow incorporated with a person’s identity. If you change the way a person dresses, you change that person’s identity. So, please don’t try to change a person’s identity. If he looks dorky, he was loved anyway when he was dorky. If he looks old, people respected him more when he looked old. If he’s a conservative dresser, he is “safe” in any occasion he goes to. When you try to change someone’s dressing, it’s connected to something deeper too.

5) Getting told what to do with your hair, when you didn’t ask for advice. I believe the person on whose head the hair is growing has the right to his own hair. I’m already balding. At least let me do what I wish with whatever I have left.

4) Getting late. You are usually on time, because you do everything that is necessary to be punctual. It’s your way of life, your philosophy. But someone else makes you get held up. You turn up late. And it wasn’t even your fault. Or, you arrived on time, but someone else turns up late. Whatever professionalism you have put into your work made no difference anyway. Because things still turned out late no matter what you’ve done.

3) Bad debtors. When it is a small amount, you don’t want to ask for it and look like a scrooge. When it adds up to a big amount, you don’t want to ask for it and come across as heartless. Because it’s clear if he can’t pay up his smaller debts, there’s no way he can pay up the larger ones. Even if he wanted to.

2) Getting told why it’s a bad choice to be a school teacher. He comes and tells you how to make more money if you leave the profession. Or how to make more money inside the profession. And he doesn’t know when to back off. On a good day, I’ll laugh it off. On a not-so-good day, he will hear some straight-talking about worldliness and materialism. Friend or foe.

1) Ending the day with an argument. Your mental gears are still whirring. You’re still feeling hot. You can’t sleep properly. The next morning, you still feel worn out as though you haven’t rested at all. You’re already grumpy even before the day began.


Goosefraba! :)

What They Don't Teach You in Class Control 101

Do not withhold correction from a child,
For if you beat him with a rod, he will not die.
You shall beat him with a rod,
And deliver his soul from hell (Proverbs 23:13-14)

How do you maintain class control when you don’t have a cane?

Zero in on the chief of the mischief. Then, either:

A) Pull yourself up to your full height, walk right up to him, stare at him straight in the face until he backs down to submission. You don’t have to say a word.

B) Give him the “look of death” from long distance. Look him straight in the eye and don’t break your gaze until he stops his malfunction.

C) Mutter strong rebuke in a hushed tone until everyone notices that you are mumbling something way below your normal volume. Continue in your best vocabulary until the class falls into a pin-drop silence. Whether or not they understand it is another matter.

D) Tell him to sit somewhere else.

Or, when you are not teaching but you have to be in class (e.g. relief periods and exam invigilation):

E) Tell him to come and sit by your side. Ask him why he is exhibiting paranormal behaviour and listen to him. Then ask him about his background and tell him the facts of life.

Or, if you’re just not in a nurturing, counseling mood:

F) Hit the table once, very hard, with a flat palm and create a thunderbolt sound. Make sure you get it right, because you can do it only once. You don’t have to move from where you are sitting nor say a word.

I’ve been put in the school’s Biro Disiplin. All I do so far is enter Merit-Demerit points into the computer. Will I be ever given a cane?

I dunno. And I don’t think I’d want to carry it around either. I think it’s a sign of insecurity.

By the way, do you know that the Education Ministry outlines very clearly the methodology for caning a student? You have to tuck a book under your caning arm. This is to prevent the teacher from caning too hard.

But you know how we do it here? We leave the book on the table. What you don’t know won’t hurt you :)

I don’t think I am the type who can give a Surat Buang Sekolah. I can do all the other things. But somehow, not expelling them.

These kids, they do not want to go to school. They don't have any interest in it. They don’t even see the point of it. But give them a few more years, and they will see it. By then, they can’t go to school anymore. I feel that expelling them is hastening that process.

Once, two Chinese Form 3 boys were involved in a Malay vs Chinese fight. On of them got hit in the head by a chair. I took them to a government clinic for a check-up and waited with them for more than 2 hours.

2 weeks later, the same boys got involved again in a bigger fight. Believed to be a continuation from the previous episode, this time it involved all races. Until the police came to control the situation.

The Chinese boy’s mother came to school. The Guru Disiplin issued him a Surat Buang Sekolah. The mother felt it was not fair. She thought it was a Malay-bias-Chinese-prejudice thing. She got upset and marched to the Pengetua’s office. She wanted to pull the boy out from school and let him start working.

I was at the Pengetua’s office when the mother arrived. Nobody could converse with her, since she spoke very bad BM. The office people pointed her to me, and she started talking to me. Good thing she could understand Hokkien.

I told her, why not pull him out of this school, and register him into another school? It may not work for him here, but it may work for him elsewhere. I told her life would be hard if he cannot complete his education. He is only 15.

I told the boy, why not go to a new school, start anew, and don’t get into trouble anymore. At least try to finish your secondary education. Give yourself a shot in life.

I don’t know what was the outcome. Probably he has stopped schooling by now. It wouldn’t be strange, because his family didn’t go any further than a Form 3 education as well.

Time and time again, I remind myself that these kids here have problems. No matter how paranormal or dysfunctional their behaviour is. Beneath their angst, restlessness and annoyance, there lies beneath it anguish, frustration and hopelessness. If you look at it seriously, at the rate they are going, they don’t even have a shot in life. Some of them already know it. And they have to live with it.

And we thought we had it bad when we didn’t get the course of our choice.

Happy Teacher’s Day, everyone. No matter how tough the going gets, remember that we are already way better than them, their parents, and their families. Even when you feel like pulling your hair out… Let’s help them get their shot in life.

Kepada Ibuku...

With mother's day around the corner, I thought of reflecting about my mother.

A quarter of a century back, I was conceived in my mother's womb during her honeymoon night. Yes, I was a honeymoon baby. Was it a mistake? I think not. I hope not :)

Carrying me around wasn't easy. She told me she flushed glasses and glasses of milk down her throat, because she knew that milk was good for babies. She drank so much milk until she grew so gemuk. Once, when I looked at her wedding portrait in the house, I said, "Eh, mummy... Who is that?" She said it's an imposter. Hahaha...

Look at me now... I've got strong teeth! Unlike my sister. She's got a bit of teeth problems when she was young. My mum must've gotten sick of milk.

Nothing about me is easy, since before I was born. Even the way I was born wasn't easy! I sat in the womb, head up. I refused to turn. I refused to budge. Even after 9 months. The doctors had no choice. Bring in the kitchen knife!

I remember seeing the marks on her womb when I was young enough to be allowed to see it. Big, huge scar. Yeah man. I was difficult then. Am still difficult now :)

Being difficult has its price. I remember when I was young, I had my share of beatings. Sometimes I don't even know why I kena. Usually, the words I hear before I kena were "ahn chua lu ah neh kuai koo eh..." (why are you so mischievous wan). But I really dunno what I did that was considered "mischievous". I didn't climb tree what... Dunno why I always kena for being mischievous. Hehehe...

When I was teaching the Form 1 kids in my school, then I kinda understood. Kids don't know it when they're mischievous. Only adults can see it. To them, they're doing something totally normal. To us, it's hell broken loose.

Another one is "ahn chua lu ah neh gao in ua" (why you so clever answer back wan). She would tarik the last syllable panjang panjang "ah neh gao in uuuuuuaaaaaaa..." when I kena belasah la. But I really don't understand why she said I always answer back. No mah. I was just talking only what. She ask me, I answer lah! *Whack* (confused). Hahaha...

Dunno if she did a good job. I think she wasn't quite successful. Until today, I'm still cheeky. Until today, I still like to answer back. Even worse, argue and quarrel with people. Hehehe...

Once, in a new and creative way to teach me not to answer back, she used cili padi. She squeezed it, took out the juice, applied it on my lips, and made me eat the rest of it. Wah, siao man! So hot!! (But I quite smart also la. I put the cili padi under my tongue, so it won't burn so bad.) She must've expected me to spit it out. But I didn't. So, after some time, she said, "If you like it so much, you can just eat it!" Then I knew it was ok to spit it out :)

Well, they are not all bad. There are some good ones too.

I remember how much I liked it when my mother would come to USM with me. (Not during university days lah! Gila... Die man! Before I was 10 lah.) My father would take me to the pool to swim everyday. Sometimes, on Fridays, my mum would tag along. We would have dinner at the Red House, buy some kacang, and we would wait at the steps of the pool until training starts.

I remember that whenever she was there, I would imagine that she was watching me. Looking at every single thing I did. Watching me chase that other kid and overtake him from behind. I always felt as though I had some extra energy coming from somewhere. I performed best in training whenever my mother was around. It's like, I wanted to show her what I could do. So she would be impressed.

Look at me. I have hundreds of medals hanging on my bedroom wall today. It was my mum who framed the medals I won at each competition. She kept all of them for me.

I remember how she encouraged me. During my primary school days, I was quite into writing my own storybooks. My mother took my book, brought it to Mr. Chang (the bookshop man) and asked him to sell it. "You never know, people may like it," she said.

True enough, the next day, Mr. Chang (who also happened to be my English teacher) came to my class and handed me a 5 Ringgit bill. "Someone bought your book," he said.

I couldn't believe it! I told my mother. "Cannot be mah... Who would buy my book? Nice meh?" I asked. "Got wan... I'm sure someone did. Maybe some standard 4 boy," she said. I was just in Standard 3.

I started to write a sequel.

It was only during Form 6 that I found out what really happened. During a casual conversation, I struck up this old memory about me selling my storybooks in SK Minden Heights.

"Eh, you remember or not, last time I wrote storybooks to sell in school?"

"Yah."

"Someone bought it, rite."

"No la. Actually I bought it."

WHAT?????? AND ALL THIS WHILE????

My goodness. It took me 9 years to figure it out.

But look at me today. I wouldn't have been good at writing if it were not for her. I write too much nowadays. Until people complain I'm too wordy.

My mother never failed to believe in me. She always thought I was a super genius (which is not true). She thought I could've become a doctor if I wanted to (not true also). She believed in me when no one else would.

At one time, I joined a multi-level marketing company. Of course, I needed some "buyers" to start off with. I asked my mum if she would help me out. "When this works out, I could be earning RM3000 a month!" I said. She believed in me.

Together, we squandered more than half a grand.

Look at me today. I wouldn't have turned out to be a confident person, if it were not for my mother. Because she always believed in me.

Here's to my mother. Happy Mother's Day. From your difficult son :)

What Would A Christian Court Do?

A Muslim marries a non-Muslim. The non-Muslim must convert. Or else, the marriage is considered null and void.

The Muslim is called an apostate for marrying a non-Muslim. She is put into a rehabilitation center to straighten out her beliefs.

Therefore, the Muslim wants to convert out of Islam. She contends that she did not choose to convert into Islam in the first place. She was merely called a Muslim just because she was born into a Muslim family. She did not consciously choose to convert into Islam, but she cannot consciously choose to convert out of it.

We see the Civil Law and the Syariah Law running concurrently in our country, with the Syariah Court taking precedence over the Civil Court.

See video clip here.

Question of the day: Do religious governments work, or is a secular government for the better good?

Let's examine the similar case according to the Bible. What will the outcome be if we had a Christian Court?

Can a Christian marry a non-Christian?

Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols?... Therefore, "Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord" (2 Corinthians 6:14-17)

The answer is no. It is a clear case of disobedience against the Lord. It is a sin.

So, if a Christian chooses to marry a non-Christian, what is the church to do?

The church will not give its blessing. The church will not perform a wedding, or unite the couple before God under holy matrimony.

Can such a couple ever get to marry at all?

If that couple chooses to marry, they cannot have a Christian wedding. They must do it outside the church, i.e. register with the Civil Court.

Will the church recognize the couple as husband and wife?

Now to the married I command... A wife is not to depart from her husband. But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to divorce his wife (1 Corinthians 7:10-11).

Yes. Even though the church does not give the couple its blessings, the church still recognizes their marriage. The church upholds the sanctity of that marriage, with the hope that it works out for the better in due time.

A non-Christian man marries a non-Christian woman. After the marriage, what if one of them decides to become a Christian?

If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her. And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him (1 Corinthians 7:12-13).

The Christian spouse is not to ask for a divorce. If the non-Christian does not mind living with a Christian spouse, the sanctity of marriage takes precedence over the freedom of religion.

What if the non-Christian cannot live with his/her spouse that has just become a Christian?

But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases (1 Corinthians 7:15a)

Under the worst case-scenario, the non-Christian can divorce the Christian spouse.

What happens after that? Who gets custody of the children? Who gets the property? Will the divorced spouse be compensated financially?

If the children are above the age of consent, they should be allowed to choose which parent they want to live with. If they are under the age of consent, custody of the children will go to whomever is better able to provide for the children and raise them. Custody of the children does not automatically go to the Christian parent just because he/she is the Christian partner in that marriage. Just as the children's religion is not pre-decided for them.

As for the rest of the arrangements, I believe that it will be done fairly. For "God has called us to peace" (1 Corinthians 7:15b).

The wonderful thing about Christianity is that its laws can withstand the test of time. It may have been written more than a millennium ago. But its laws are still applicable in today's context. And that, I should say, is a very strong test that swings in God's favour. His laws withstand the test of time. In His wisdom, He has given us laws that are not static, but dynamic. He shows us how to live, so we can find our way back to Him.

For these reasons, I dare to believe that a Christian government works.