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.

Memoirs Of My Jalopies

Which is best:

A) Repair an 80's Ford Laser 1.3. The repair costs more than the car itself.
B) Buy a 2nd hand 1984 Honda Accord for RM4500.
C) Buy a 2nd hand 2003 Proton Iswara 1.5 for RM15,000.
D) Buy a brand new Proton Iswara 1.3 for RM26,999.

My Ford Laser overheated. Steam blew out from the bonnet. Fumes leak into the car ever since. Shortening my life span with each long drive I take in my car. Engine overheats whenever there is a traffic jam. It starts smoking when it stops for too long. Mechanic told me there is no band-aid solution. Repairing it requires an overhaul.

My mechanic landlord recommended me a 1984 Honda Accord. Meticulously polished, shiny, black body. Never left overnight under the sky. Sports rim. Brand new tyres. Carefully maintained interior. Everything in the interior works. Including central locking and power windows. Got power steering. Legs also can feel air cond. Got sun roof. Opens at the push of a button. Engine, steady and good. Can reach 80 km/hr on a 4th gear without straining the rpm. 2-digit number plate. Rarely used. Owner's wife asked to sell it. Because she is the one who has to clean it.

Tried to bargain for RM4000. Before I could put in a deposit, it was sold to another person that very same night. Some guy came along, wanted it, and paid RM4,500 cash on the spot. I only found out the next morning. How can that be? That car was mine! I feel robbed.

My friend is changing to a company car by the end of next month. He's selling his 4-year old Proton Iswara 1.5, with sports rim, for RM15,000. If compared to the current price of a Proton Iswara 1.3, it's a drop of RM12,000 in 4 years.

A brand new Proton Iswara 1.3 will cost a minimum downpayment of RM2,800. The longest period for installments is RM306 for 9 years. Is it worth to invest in a new car, when my pay hasn't kicked in for more than 2 months already? What about my rental, water bill, electric bill, Digi bill, internet bill, makan bill? Not counting the little luxuries of life yet, like catching a movie in the cinema. Or eating something else rather than home-made sandwiches or economy rice. Or driving anywhere further than Selayang to Kepong. Or Selayang to Sri Gombak.

Well, if I do get a brand new car, there will be things that I won't be used to:

1) A car that starts up when I want to go somewhere in my car (Wah, good morning, car!)
2) Seeing all the doors unlock when I open the driver's door (Oui, why together open wan?)
3) Seeing all the doors lock by itself when I lock my side of the door (Like that also can?)
4) A signal light that works without manually handling it with my right hand (Can blink by itself wan... And can turn off by itself after I turn!)
5) A back door that can open from the inside (no more child safety feature).
6) A steering wheel that is properly aligned (Wah... Straight...)
7) Not having to pour in water and buy engine oil frequently (No more oily hands).
8) Not being able to park it anywhere I like for days (How to travel outstation now?)
9) Having to lock the security lock whenever I park the car (Slow la...)
10) Having to unlock it again when I wanna go off (But if rushing, then?)
11)Having to wash it with something else rather than rain water and natural sulphuric acid cleaner (No time la...)
12) Hearing a beeping sound when I back up the car (Hahh? Not yet bang also got sound??)

Man, I miss my good ol' Datsun 120Y. The one I drove before my Ford Laser. I miss:

1) Driving without a right side mirror (Best training)
2) A hanger attached below the air-cond vent, to hang stuff like teh peng or hokkien mee (Easy to tapao).
3) A cluster of McDonald's straws, taped together and shoved into the air cond vent, to keep the shaft from closing (When hot, just put your face at the straw)
4) A left window that cannot close properly if you wind it up too fast. Once, it dropped all the way to the bottom, and cannot get back up (The one who did it, you know who)
5) Flicking the signal lights up and down to create a blinking light (Multi tasking, man...)
6) Hearing a F1 engine rev up underneath a Datsun casing (Can see the envy in their eyes)
7) How light the car feels, steering it with only one thumb (Country roooads... Take me hooome..)
8) How the brakes feel like it isn't there, and having to brake very early for a gradual and safe stop (Look before you leap, brake before it's late)

And, of course...

9) How things went slow motion, as the right tyre came off, drifted like a Jackie Chan movie, and flew over the divider one fateful night. And trying to see if I can see my body in the driver's seat from outside the car (Good thing I couldn't)

I guess I was brought up to believe that one doesn't need a new car to get through life. I always thought it best to drive old cars, and invest the money somewhere else. "We don't serve the car. The car serves us," my father would always say. I've never dreamt about cars. Hence, my lack of knowledge and interest on automobiles. The thought of buying a new car never really crossed my mind.

Until recent happenings...




You've served me well. A few more months is all I ask...

The Pursuit Of Happiness

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness - The Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776.

We've discussed the matter of "pursuit of happiness" before in Sungai Ara Youth Hour some time ago. Not in the legislative sense, though.

The pursuit of happiness is an unalienable right? A recent newspaper article made me ponder how far this can be true in our country.

The Education Ministry has highlighted that teachers are not allowed to give tuition classes for more than 4 hours a week. Other restrictions include:

• Giving tuition at tuition centres registered by the state education department.
• Application to give tuition has to be approved by the state education director two months beforehand.
• Applicants must achieve a minimum of 80% in their performance appraisals in the previous year.
• Tuition centres must not be more than 25km from a teacher's school.

Any normal tuition centre pays approximately RM30 per hour. 4 hours a week will be RM120. In a month, that will be RM480. So government school teachers are restricted to earning an extra income of RM480 a month. Any more than that, then you are breaking the law.

In Rule 5 Regulations on Public Officers (Conduct and Discipline) 1993, teachers are not allowed to do outside work and be paid for it (see reference). So, if you are coaching, let's say, a swimming team for a professional club, then you are breaking the law. Even if many school swimmers are developed under that club, or even if you are "sedang memajukan sukan untuk negara", if you are getting paid for it, then you are breaking the law.

If you want to help develop sports among the youth of the nation, or if you want to give kids a healthy co-curricular purpose, or if you want to keep kids off the streets after school hours, you have to do it for free. Either that, or quit the government service. Then you can groom the nation's athletes legally.

In short, teachers are not allowed to earn money outside the government's payroll. If you do, make sure it's not over RM480. If it exceeds that amount, then you are a lawbreaker. If you are passionate about a sport, you can only develop that sport under the confines of a school. If the school has the facilities, then you can do it. (But only for the students of that school. Students from other schools are denied that privilege) If the school does not have the privilege at all, then your passion for the sport is limited to a couch in front of ESPN's Sports Channel.

You tell me how far is the pursuit of happiness an unalienable right in our country.

On the further restrictions:

1. On the tuition centre's registration. Which tuition centre wants to register itself with the state education department, if the employees under its payroll is going to be tabbed by the ministry? As Lawrence Law said, school teachers (at least, the good ones) should be the best people for the job. Ironically, you can't hire the best people for the job to work at your center for more than 4 hours. But you can let anyone else work for unlimited hours in your center. Does this make sense for any thriving tuition centre?

2. On the teacher's registration. What if you are already teaching tuition for many years already? Registering now will mean you have been ignoring the law for a long time. Also, after you have registered, you have to wait 2 months before you start teaching (if you get approved). So, at the meantime, you have to quit from your centre?

Also, with all the stipulated restrictions, what motivation is there for anyone to step up and be registered? It will make more sense to remain under the radar. How would the ministry find out about their involvement in tuition centers anyway? It's not practical to seek out every tuition center, and ask for the list of people under their payroll.

Another obvious point. We all know that teaching outside a tuition center pays way, much better. How are these stipulations going to apply for private home tutors? It doesn't solve the problem of teachers moonlighting as tuition teachers if they quit their centers and do home tutoring instead.

3. On performance appraisals. We all know that performance appraisals do not really reflect a teacher's performance in school. It is highly abritary. And it is also easily manipulated if you know the system.

4. On distance. Picture this. Let's say, your house, your school and your tuition centre are in a straight line. Your school is right in the middle, as the center of reference. The distance between your school and your house is 25km. The distance between your school and your tuition center is also 25km. Your house and your tuition center are at opposite ends, with your school right in the middle.

To go from your house to your tuition center, you are allowed to travel a total of 50 km. But if there is a tuition center which lies outside the 25 km radius from your school, then you cannot teach there. Even if that center is just right across the street from your house.

I don't know if Mei Mei (see reference) knows what she is talking about. She says the government wants to make sure that the teachers’ main priority is school-going students like herself. I can't help but wonder if she goes to tuition centres herself. What if she finds out her favourite tuition teacher is also a school teacher. What if that same school teacher is also the students' favourite in his own school. Does she realize that there are students who actually need tuition classes, either to excel, or to eke a passing grade?

Of course, there are some school teachers who misplace their priorities in school, and compromise them with their involvement in tuition centres. But is it so hard to believe that not all teachers are like that? Is it fair to legislate a blanket restriction on all teachers?

What about primary teachers who struggle to make ends meet? If the government cannot help them in that area, they are not allowed to help themselves?

A more pertinent question to ask is, how much is the tuition industry affecting the education system? Is the education system reliant on it, or is the education system suffering because of it? Does the tuition industry have a positive or negative impact to its students? What does that tell us of the current state of our education system? Is placing restrictions on teachers and tuition centres a move for the better, or for the worse? If, for some reason, tuition centres ever get abolished, will the education system survive without it?

It's an acceptable thing if a teacher's salary is a humble one. But the implication is a worrying one when people are denied the freedom to pursue happiness outside the government's payroll.

What's In A Name

Mei Yee thinks that getting anonymous comments is nothing to be agitated about. But I automatically get annoyed with deliberate anonymity. Here's why:

Firstly, going back to Public Speaking and Speech Writing 101. Why are introductory speeches important? In any decent seminar or conference, the chairperson takes great lengths to properly introduce the speaker before he speaks. He elaborates on the speaker's background, his status, his accomplishments, etc. Why is that necessary? Because a good and proper introduction validates the credibility of the speaker.

Granted, it's the content matter that counts. But the credibility of the speaker speaks volumes of what he is going to say even before he opens his mouth. If he is who he is reputed to be, you'll take in what he has to say with much more respect. If you know that the speaker is far from impressive in the field he is in, you'll take whatever he says with a pinch of salt. Would you take a person speaking on "Corporate Ethics" when he has been famous for harassing people in his workplace?

Yes, it will put either a bias or a prejudice on the speaker. But I say it's a good bias, and a wise prejudice.

So if you want more respect, do not shy away into anonymity. When your talk matches your walk, you have nothing to hide. People will give you respect.

Secondly, anonymity doesn't work. If Martin Luther nailed the 95 Theses on the north door of Castle Church in Wittenberg and signs off as "An Unhappy Theology Professor", do you think anything would've happened? Nope. He put his name on it.

Anonymity doesn't work because people cannot identify with nameless, faceless entities. But if the writing comes with a name and a face, people will realize that "Hey, here's a real story! This is a real person! What he says is true!" The public will realize that the issue, and the propagator of the issue, is for real. People will either rally behind you, or directly oppose you. Things will happen.

But if you submit an anonymous letter, it's not hard at all to put it into the trash can.

Thirdly, the motive of anonymity doesn't work too. If indeed technology is so advanced and investigators are so efficient to tap into phone lines and put bugs on the internet, you don't even need a name to be found out.

Once, in a feedback form that my Christian Fellowship collected, an anonymous person focused his/her dissatisfactions directly on me. (The Exco Board of 2005/2006 would know what I'm talking about) It only took elementary deduction to make out who the writer was.

Firstly, it's obvious that the writer lied in his/her identity. He/she indicated that he/she was a postgraduate. But he/she couldn't tell the difference between an Exco member and a Cell Group Leader. So obviously, he/she is a freshie, not a postgraduate. Also, there are only so few postgraduates around. Ummm... Sadat? Nah, I don't think so :)

Secondly, it's not too hard to narrow down who talks like that. Usually, a person's sentence structure, choice of vocabulary, and maturity of thought is reflected in his/her writing.

Thirdly, all I had to do is dig up some old forms that the CF members have filled before. It doesn't take long to match people's handwriting.

However, although I cannot stop mental acrobatics from happening, I didn't allow myself to finish step 2. The Exco Board means it when we say that anonimity in feedback forms will be respected. Exco people are smart people. But we use it for good, not for evil. Cunning as serpents and harmless as doves, are we :)

The point here is, it's not difficult at all to narrow down the identity of anonymous writers. But I chose not to know. Anyway, if the writer is reading this, rest assured that although there was only a small pool of people to guess from, I still do not know specifically who you are, and I did not allow it to happen. And I don't hold anything against you. I believe in handling criticisms professionally, at work or at play.

So, if anonymous writers are going to be found out anyway, why not just be man about it.

Coming back to the issue...

Fourthly, being not anonymous works! Many people already know about how my story was featured on the first page of the Sun not too long ago. With name, face, quotations and all. But what not many people know is... I was the first KPM scholarship holder to get a posting before any other scholarship holder did. If NST's anonymous version was all the Education Ministry had to go by, I don't think even a feather would have been ruffled into action.

Fifthly, hiding behind anonymity is rude. Why is it that you don't like it when someone talks to you with his sunglasses on? Why do you feel reluctant to respond when someone talks to you while wearing a mask? It's because you do not know to whom you're speaking to. The man behind the mask knows to whom he is talking to, but he doesn't give you the privilege the other way around. That is rude.

Sixthly, anonymity is cowardly behaviour. Sometimes, you have something to say. You got a matter to deal with. But you don't want to confront the personality. So, you resort to ways of sending the message across without having to deal with the personality. Maybe it's because that personality is a force to be reckoned with. Maybe it's because you don't want to deal with the backlash after saying what you have to say. Maybe it's because you just want to say whatever you feel like saying, and you want to get away with it. Whichever way it is... That is cowardly.

Sometimes, don't you think it's improper when someone has something important to tell you, but he'd rather SMS than call? It makes you feel that the other person has something to deal with. But he doesn't want to talk to you.

So, in conclusion... If you got something to say, put your money where your mouth is. Or, in this case, put your name where your writing is.

And be responsible for what you write.

Peanuts Or Brownies

They're paying me peanuts.

My tuition center at Sri Gombak is paying me by a profit-sharing basis. 70-30 split. I keep 70% of the profit, the center keeps 30%. Sounds good, rite? If I have a class of, let's say, 10 students... That's great, right?

But not if your class has only 2 students.

The center told me that they have 9-10 students before I committed myself to the center. I feel conned.

Well, yesterday, 1 new student turned up in my Form 4 Add Maths class. It's safe to say that I have 50% growth in less than a month :)

The center told me yesterday that they're opening up two more classes for me. Add Maths Form 5, and Chemistry Form 5. How many students? 4 in the Add Maths class, and only 1 for Chemistry.

If I calculate how much they're paying me a month... It's peanuts. In fact, it's a loss to me.

But, stranglely enough, I actually feel kinda good inside after every tuition class at this center. Weird. I know at the back of my mind that what I'm doing here is akin to charity. But every time I end my class, I feel as though I've helped someone. Like I've given someone hope.

I decided to take up the 2 new classes. I figured, "Well, if they're giving me peanuts, I may as well earn brownie points here."

I didn't come into education for the money. If I was after the money, I wouldn't be looking for it in schools.

Melissa Ng asked me this question before: "Seriously, why are you into the tuition business? Is it purely for the money, or for some other purpose?"

Here's why... It's because I believe in giving people hope.

And I need another source of income too. If I can get that by doing something I believe in and love doing, then it's a win-win situation.

That's what I have to keep reminding myself. I'm here to give people hope.

Best Excuse Ever

"Mana buku?"

"Tak ada, sir..."

"Kenapa tak ada?"

"Sebab tertinggal di rumah... Rumah saya roboh..."

"Apa roboh??"

"Betui sir... MPS datang robohkan rumah saya... Saya tinggal rumah setinggan."

His friend came to his aid, "Sir, betui punya sir... You pergi jalan itu, kat *dunno what he was saying* ... You tengok rumah akhir sekali... Itu rumah dia, rumah kat tepi tu. Sekarang... Tak ada apa-apa lagi."

Have you heard this excuse before? My goodness. I never saw that coming. Not at all!

Not quite sure how to respond. You wanna teach them discipline, but on the other hand, you see them with compassion. You wanna show compassion, but on the other hand... *muffled giggle*... You gotta admit that it sounds very outlandish, rite?

Had to pull a poker face.

"Jadi, sekarang tinggal mana?"

"Tinggal rumah sewa."

I stood staring at the boy, thinking of what to say next.

"Hari itu... Balik balik main bola... Tengok rumah sudah tiada..."

Imagine coming home from playing footie in the field, only to discover that your house has been bulldozed to the ground. You're surely tired, sweaty and thirsty... Looking forward to that shower, cold water and food... How is it like to be greeted with nothing but rubble?

The boy looked strangely "amused" at his own predicament though. The way he was telling it. Maybe he doesn't know what kind of trouble he is in.

He wasn't finished yet. Just as I was walking away...

"Sir, rumah DIA PUN KENA!!"

He pointed to another girl at the next table. The girl wasn't too happy to be found out.

Now, this one almost got me. Cannot tahan... *muffled giggle*... Oops, I'm not supposed to laugh. So bad...

Welcome to Selayang. Where Selangor meets layang-layang.

PIBG rocks...

I attended the PIBG meeting in school last Saturday. I apparently was appointed to "mewakili kaun Cina" as the AJK Guru.

Usul yang dibahaskan:

Memandang masalah disiplin pelajar semakin tidak boleh dikawal... Menurut pemimpin kita dan Islam Hadari... Sekolah kerajaan harus dijadikan sekolah satu jantina.

If this motion gets through the school level, they're going to bring it to the kementerian.

I went right up to the microphone with an opening question:

"Selepas membaca usul ini, apa yang saya hendak tahu ialah... Apakah justifikasi kenyataan yang sedemikian? Apakah peratus masalah disiplin di sekolah yang berpunca daripada interaksi lelaki dengan perempuan?"

Tuan Pengerusi:

Ada kes di sekolah ini yang pernah berlaku... Saya tahu sejarah sekolah ini... Pelajar lelaki dan perempuan boleh bergaul dengan cara yang tidak sesuai... Kalau pelajar bukan Islam buat kepada pelajar Islam, itu sebenarnya haram.

Well... Just because a few historical cases have happened before, we want to push for single-sex schools? Kes buli and gangsterism are even more serious. Forget about Kempen Anti-Buli and Rakan Cop then. Why not abolish public schools and push for home schooling?

If Muslim students do not want to be touched, then they will not be touched! Is it an unavoidable, involuntary act of the will? Men should be taught to respect women. Women should be taught to say no. You can't teach them anything if you just put them in seclusion. The first chance of contact they get, they will... Unleash!

If you wanna ban co-ed schools, then to what end? The ban should not stop at secondary schools. It should be done in universities too! Youth at their twenties are even more ready, willing and able of immoral conduct, compared to curious teens. What's next... Single-sex office buildings to avoid sexual harassment?

I went up to the microphone again. The gist of what I said:

Izinkan saya berbahasa Inggeris, kerana saya kurang fasih dalam Bahasa Melayu. Saya akan bercakap dalam Bahasa Inggeris, kemudian saya akan terjemahkan sendiri kepada Bahasa Melayu.

*The following things are said bilingually*

Men cannot be men without women. Women cannot be women without men. Widening the divide is not the answer. If we separate them, how will the men learn responsiblity and chivalrous behaviour? How will the women learn to understand men? Men will become increasingly chauvinistic, and the women will become more and more inferior.

If they interact with one another in schools, teachers can teach them how to properly deal with the opposite sex. I'll give you one real example. Dalam kelas saya, 2 Krypton... Seorang pelajar lelaki memaki hamun seorang perempuan... Sampai perempuan itu menangis. Selepas lesson saya, saya deal with the problem. Saya panggil budak lelaki itu.

"Apasal you marah-marah kat dia?"

"Dia yang mula dulu, saya tambah saja..."

"Kamu budak lelaki. Kamu tidak boleh jerit macam itu kepada perempuan."

"Tapi dia yang mula dulu..."

"Kalau kamu lelaki, kamu tidak akan memaki hamun perempuan macam itu. Kalau dia tampar kamu pun, you tak boleh tampar balik. You jadi lelaki. Faham tak? Tak adil, kan? Ya, memang tak adil. Tapi syarat alam memang begini. You jadilah lelaki sejati. Jangan buat balik."

Dia terus diam.

We have to teach the men to be strong. Mengapa banyak rumah tangga sekarang porak perandah? Kerana lelaki dan perempuan tidak tahu differences mereka dan peranan mereka. We have to solve this at the school level. Kalau tidak, macam manalah mereka boleh selesaikan problem mereka sendiri nanti.

No voice from the proposing side of the house.

The Pengerusi called the house to a vote.
Those in favour of single-sex schools: 4 votes.
Those in opposition of the motion: The rest of the house.
Oposition leader wins by landslide victory.

It astonishes me what kind of ideas people have in their heads nowadays. I don't mean any disrespect for the religion of Islam. But I cannot allow unjustifiable statements to be passed like that. Such policies do not help, but they make the situation worse! Even religious groups are having problems trying to cope with divorces and broken families. How can anyone with a sane mind ever conceive the idea that separation and seclusion is the solution?

When something bad happens, is it reasonable to just blame it on male-female interactions? Such interactions are not the root of all evil.

I came into the AJK PIBG, kicking and screaming. Initially, I was not too happy with the idea. I felt like this was another case of exploitation of "new, young, single, Chinese teachers". Other teachers say it is a "penghormatan" to be in PIBG. When they themselves laugh at the "much coveted postion".

But whatever it is, after my first meeting, I've decided to stay. For as long as it is possible.

If my appointment into the PIBG was a case of exploitation, those who put me there have something new to think about. When you put a lion in the council, you do not expect it to mew.

He will roar.

Constipation

I'm currently teaching the chapter on human digestion for Form 2 Science. They like it when I talk about constipation.

That's right. I tell them why you get constipation, how to avoid constipation, what happens during constipation... Talk about the rectum, the anus, and how you bleed when the anus wall gets cut by hard, sharp faeces... Tell them how you can shove pills into a sick cow's anus with your hands because its size is so huge... They like it! They listen with rapt attention. I don't know if the cow part is even true. But it doesn't matter, does it.

You try to expound every organ in the human digestive system, its functions and the enzymes involved in every stage of digestion... They don't give 2 hoots about it. You talk to them about defecation. That one, they like.

I came to asking myself: Why do I bother to systematically break down content matter, justify every statement I make, rationalize every point to make it reasonable... When absolutely none of those are remotely necessary? I can just make senseless statements without checking the facts. And they love it even more.

Speaking of constipation. I think I'm getting verbal constipation. I practically have no one to speak English with, except on Sundays. The Streamyx guy is taking a short eternity to fix things, so I can't blog. When I meet a Chinese fellow, and I have to speak Malay. And they'll go glancing at my name tag. "Oh, I'm actually Portuguese," I should say.

No wonder missionaries have stress levels that are a hundred fold greater than ordinary, local people.

I miss my days in St. Xaviers Institution and Penang Free School... Where you make sense to people when you speak intelligent English. I glance down 10 years down the road... If I'm still teaching Science for Form 1 and 2... I dunno. It bothers me.

I look at my class of 30 Form 1 students and 60 Form 2 students. I can't imagine how they are ever gonna make it in the world out there. I ask myself, "Am I looking at 90 cases of hopeless failures every day? What can I do to help them?"

Yesterday, a group of chinese boys were showing a severe case of disinterest and disruptive behaviour. After several attempts at conventional class control, I gave them a dose of rebuke. I muttered softly under my voice. In monotone. In fluent, perfect English. I didn't mince my words nor stuttered. I spoke much softer than my ordinary voice. I directed it to the group of Chinese boys. I told them things they didn't want to hear. Nor do I think any teacher ever did. The whole class fell into a pin-fall silence.

No rotan needed.

How come the Chinese kids know I'm scolding them? I was speaking close to a whisper. Yet, they can hear. I think they know English. They just pretend not to, so they can have a license to simply not know things.

Yesterday, the Principal said she wanted me to join the AJK for PIBG. "Guru Cina kena masuk PIBG," she said. Yeah. I'm so gonna communicate with the parents of the students who can't speak English.

"How can I help them?" I ask myself over and over again. "These are kids from very poor families. From practically zero education background. What can I do?"

Well. Maybe what they need right now is a little charity.

Hmmm... I think I know what to do.

There Goes My Holiday

I thought I would be able to go back to Penang during the weekends. But I'm tied up with Pusat Tuisyen Akademik Maju on Saturdays. There goes my weekends.

I could've gone back during the 1-week school holidays. But I'm part-timing with D' Jungle People from Tuesday to Thursday. A sports camp at Rawang, Games X-plosion. There goes my school holidays.

SMK Selayang Bharu's Penolong Kanan is sending my name to be a Pengawas Peperiksaan during SPM. There's no escaping it. All new teachers are sent by the school to invigilate. There goes my November holidays.

But I'm not complaining. The one with D' Jungle People, I mean. I've part-timed with them twice before at Langkawi. Somehow, I actually feel proud to be identified with them in some way. Weird, but dunno why. Maybe it's because I kinda like the things that they do. And they are professional in their work :)

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