Okay to be Gay?

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - – Film-makers can depict homosexuals for the first time in strictly censored Malaysia -- so long as they repent or even go straight in the end, an industry group said Monday.

Strict censorship rules in the mostly Muslim country means books and films are routinely banned or scenes deleted that are deemed detrimental to moral values or religious sensitivities.

The new censorship guidelines reverse a ban on scenes featuring homosexuality, Malaysian Film Producers' Association president Ahmad Puad Onah said. But there's a catch.

"We are now allowed to show these scenes," he told AFP. "As long as we portray good triumphing over evil and there is a lesson learnt in the film, such as from a gay (character) who turns into a (straight) man.

hey shall we also make Freddy Kruger turn into a pink and yellow butterfly in the end?
or how about make Ghost Rider turn into Knight Rider?
or a movie with Hitler finally winning for a change.
good over evil!

but wait, what about those serious hollywood type movies that revolve around a gay person? yeah!

shall we turn Truman Capote into a motherlicking pimp who 'repents' with 12 biatches?
or maybe turn Harvey Milk into a repenting politician who actually prefers to be corrupt and racist.
(which is waaaay better than being gay.)
or let's show Brokeback Mountain here and have one of the cowboys rubbing his bum and finally saying, "damn it. when i said gay, i meant HAPPY!!!"

because boys and girls, in case your mommy and daddy didn't tell you, you can catch gay. even from tv. so don't sit too close and don't say i didnt warn you.

Zen.

so lately, i've become a huge fan of the TV series, Life. it's basically about a cop who gets put away for 12 years on a count of murdering his friend's family, but his innocence is obvious. anyhow, he gets thrown in state pen, his sentence is life, but instead of plotting his revenge, finds the light of zen. he comes back out after getting acquitted, rejoins the force, and uses his newfound zen ways to resolve homicide cases and at the same time, trying to find out who set him up. interesting, no?

but the teachings of zen got me thinking.

its quite enlightening to say things like 'gold dust, no matter how precious, will still blind you.' or 'give a man a fish, feed him for a day, teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime.' but the essential fact is that you don't have to know zen to be zen.

i've come to realise that i have been subconsciously practising these teachings and applying them to my daily life without even being exposed to the great Buddha and his mystical ways.

to look on others as you look upon yourself.
to see god in the most lowliest of men.
to respect all ways of life and creed.
to not be punished for anger, but be punished by anger.
to understand, than to be understood.

now, by knowing them, i am reinforcing them, and i am learning more. and this has brought about new meaning to my life. i see things now in a way i could probably never see about 4 years ago. this is the way of life that brings about peace. something i can truly stand for. after all, does life really have to be about suffering and work and misery and pain?
can life not be love, peace, faith and hope?

even if mankind does not share this same sentiment, i can always hope that the hope of goodwill spreads like wildfire among us all. and i know that by the end of the day, i would be content. this life of mine should not be spent wondering why man cannot love and be loved. this life of mine should be spent teaching man to love and be loved. and in order to teach something, you would first have to learn how to do it yourself.

so thus, commences my journey.

Scenes from My Daily Life:

Programme Director, Mrs. X, gives a lecture on who exactly are the persons-in-charge in case a student needs immediate attention. Mrs. X then announces and introduces Programme Co-ordinator and Counsellor, Mr. Y.

(words are spelt exactly as they are pronounced. this is deliberate.)

Mrs. X: Okay, ladies and gentremen, this one is Mr. Y. He is your pogram corinator. You look for him if you need any hep.

Mr Y: (smiles and nods over-enthusiastically; like he is having a stroke.)

Mrs. X: Okay, so now you know who is he. Dun come to me regarding any assistance. I can't hep chu. Make sure you look for him.

Mr. Y: Yes, anyone have any question regarding financial aid or change in course, you come to me. If you have anything confidential you want to talk about, you look for me as well.

Mrs. X: (serious look on face) Ya, that one is his own private area. I will touch on that later.

Audience breaks up into quiet little sniggers. Uncontrolled laughter heard from yours truly.

The End.

Have you seen the Infinite White?

have you?
it's a long blinding path of narrowness.
the first and last thing you'll ever see.
it's like the heavens exploding tenfold.
it's the sun at your feet.
the moon in your eyes.
the stars in your hair.
the dazzling mess around you.
the world stops for no one.
but it will stop for you.

the endless circle of ivory sheen.
which knows no bounds.
yet it binds you to it.
the universe cannot withstand it.
nor can you.
but it goes on and on.
never ceasing.
never dampening.
just like time,
it pillages through you like a house on fire.
burns your soul.
turns your mind to light.
glows with pain and joy.
so all you see is Infinite White.

Welcome to Singapore!

Police officers escort an arrested activist during a two-man-protest in Singapore on January 12, 2009. The two activists were protesting against what they say is unfair treatment of Singapore-based Burmese nationals who took part in a mass demonstration in front of the Burmese embassy here last year during the country's vote on a constitutional referendum. Generally, Singapore's citizens do not have the liberty of free speech and the right to protest.

For full article, click here: http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2010/01/20/singapore-textbook-example-repressive-state



Welcome to Singapore! :)

President Nathan, PM Lee confident ties with Johor will tighten under new Sultan

SINGAPORE: Singapore leaders have sent congratulatory messages to the Sultan of Johor on his ascension as Sultan. Prime Minister, Mr.Lee Hsien Loong, said he was confident that Singapore-Johor relations would improve.

Lee mentioned that the ties with Johor were pretty loose under the previous ruler, the late Sultan Iskandar, and had kept falling off. He was rest assured by the newly crowned Sultan Ismail Iskandar that the ties would be tied tighter and there would be no chance of coming undone.

"My warmest wishes for Your Royal Highness' good health, and for Johor Darul Ta'zim's continued success in this year of the TIE-ger," Mr Lee added, with a wink.

In other unrelated news, former premier Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad said that he hoped Johor would tighten its ties to the maximum with Singapore, so tight, that they choke. -KNN

ZOUNDS!

ahh. it's that time again to rant about a topic close to my heart. this one's about politics. malaysian politics, to be precise. (yes, start IP tracking my ass, SB.)

well, been reading a whole lot about the trials and tribulations about a particular malaysian opposition coalition in trouble. not very pretty. i think no other opposition in the world has it as bad as these guys. from tales of froggy independent MPs and Desa Damansara condo(m)s, the opposition sorta resembles a huge jenga block being pushed in all directions. whether it will fall, only time will tell.

it's worrying that these guys are consistently targeted and portrayed in a bad light by government media. worse still, the newspapers make the coalition out to be a flimsy juvenile gathering incapable of leading a nation, let alone a state. hah. but i bet selangor and penang would beg to differ.

then there's the rumour that the government is using funds to buy opposition MPs and coerce them to join the ruling party. all for a 2/3 majority in parliament. (which, incidentally, is already within reach for BN). it is almost comedic to watch these MPs explain themselves and why they left their respective parties. not enough money, teacher too strict, not enough money, my interest not served, not enough money...the list goes on.

but the fact is that the coalition needs to stitch themselves together. i would not say i'm a fan of PKR. i'm not a fan of BN either. but i can identify better with PKR than with BN. i want the divisive boundaries of race to be eliminated. i want us to embrace each other, instead of just tolerating each other. i want a society integrated, not manipulated. and most of all, i want a society capable of thinking and choosing for themselves, not being told by people 'up there' about what and how you should live your life.

sadly enough, that's not the BN doctrine. how can you have 1Malaysia when you still have race based parties? or Perkasa for that matter.
all that is known is that the people will have to decide. and when you decide, choose the party which represents YOUR interest, not let the party choose you to represent THEIR interest.

editor's note: yeah sorry tuan, i can't meet you at bukit aman tomorrow. what? you changed the venue to kamunting? ok lah.