Those Vietnam buggers...

I was watching the football match between Malaysia and Vietnam -- SEA Games finals -- at someplace not so public. The suddenly came this group of people, sceptics I can say. "Malaysia sure kalah wan lah," said one. "Look at those Vietnam buggers, they're more skilfull than our players," retorted the other. "Malaysian players looked like a malnourished lot."
Yes, Malaysian football IS still in doldrums. Even though the team under the charge of K Rajagobal ended the 20-year gold medal drought in the Games, to me, it's just a flash in the pan.
The team now need stay together for much longer. Rajagobal needs to stay. They might lose one, or even two matches after this. But that should not be the yardstick of their performance. Continuity is key. Just look at what A. Ferguson achieved in his years with MU.
Still, what the boys achieved in Laos is no little feat. They beat defending champions Thailand en route to bag the gold. They prevented Vietnam from scoring against them throughout 83 minutes of the game. They prevented Vietnam from scoring a back-to-back win against Malaysia (we lost 1-3 in the group match). Even though the goal was the result of a deflection from a Vietnam defender, the initial shot was from Malaysia. It was Malaysia who attacked Vietnam for the goal. They did so because they believe. Most folks here in Malaysia believe they can deliver. I believe.
It's time for some people to start believing. Have some faith people.
Baca lagi!

Meet Mr. Monk (Malaysia)

Few days ago at a shopping mall in the heart of KL, Anne and I had the opportunity to meet Mr Monk. Malaysian style. He's a late 30-something guy, wears glasses, a fine-chequered shirt, polyester pants and safety boots. And, he is the only guy wearing a surgical mask in the fast food joint we're at. As he's about to sit down at his chosen table not far from us, he was seen inspecting the table and chairs for God knows what. I guess he was just looking for any signs of stains left on it, but the way he inspects them as if he was looking for some unknown germs ready to be named. He then called upon a worker there to clean up his table and chairs. The worker then duly cleans them, as Mr Monk watches and instructs on wiping missed spots. Later, he decided to turn the table around, and switch the chair from one side to the other. Wouldn't it be easier, Mr Monk, if you just sit at the other end of the table, on the other chair?
Anyway, Mr. Monk was carrying a plastic bag of groceries (I guess) with him. As he's about to put it on the table, he again inspects the surface of the table for stains. Satisfied with the table, he slowly puts the bag down. Just. He again inspects the bag for any stains collected from the table and wiped the bag with tissues to make certain no stains were visible. Gosh. The inspections alone, took about 10 minutes! I'm sure this is nowhere near the real Mr Monk we see on tv, because Mr Monk has OCD. This guy doesn't seem to show symptoms of OCD (thanks to Pschy. class I took). I guess. But I'm no shrink! Meticulous? Super nerd?
He was not overly protected of his belongings as he left it on the table while he places his order at the counter. He had a large fries and a large drink.
I guess he was just peculiar. Hopefully he has no medical complications (like OCD perhaps?).
But more peculiar sights was in store for me that night.
Imagine a 'working girl' from the back alley. Imagine the girl, with very short shorts, shaggy t-shirt and a walk that justifies her as a 'working girl', loitering in the mall with a large drink from the fast food joint in her hand. You take that girl out of the mall and put her on the streets, people will be asking straightaway: "Berapa?"
And then there's this butt-clasping couple. You know, the kind where they have their hands intertwined behind their back, clasping each others butt. Please lah, butt clasping should be restricted at private places only lah...not in public. Plus, it doesn't show your affection to each other. It just shows your carnal instinct!
There was more to be seen and tell, but I was too busy finishing off my miniaturised Bigmek...
Baca lagi!

Baru je cakap...

Six die in dawn crash, co-driver decapitated as guardrail spears bus
By M. KUMAR, STEVEN DANIEL and EMBUN MAJID

RAWANG: Six people were killed and a woman seriously injured when the double-decker express bus they were travelling in skidded and crashed on the North-South Expressway near Rawang yesterday.

The 5am accident at the 442.9nd kilometre of the expressway caused a massive crawl south of the Bukit Beruntung toll plaza as authorities took about four hours to clear the wreckage.

Md Zaher Mohamad, 33, C. Magenthiran, 26, Mohamad Fauzi Awang, 44, Muhammad Ismail, 27, Mohd Yusril Zakaria, 27, and co-driver Zulkhibri Md Saad, 35, all died at the scene.

The AB Express bus, carrying 34 passengers, was travelling south to Kuala Lumpur from Alor Setar when the driver apparently lost control of the vehicle.


The bus then skidded into the guardrail, causing the metal railing to break off and spear the lower deck of the bus before the vehicle came to a stop on its side. See? baru je cakap pasal bas. If you take note of the news, the accident happened at 5am, the bus was not hit by any other vehicle and somehow it went out of control.
Why, tell me why do they like to commit offence under Sect 41 Road Transport Act?? Baca lagi!

If you're driving on highways at night, watch your rearview mirror

Exacty. I'm not asking for you to watch out for 'supernatural beings' or some sort. Its busses.They are on the road, driven according to the rules-very disciplined-during the day. But at night, they're like ghost riders. They stalk yu from behind, flashing hi-beams to make sure you are out of their way. Even when you are overtaking another car on the far right lane.
Can you believe that?
I've had a double decker bus chasing me just because I gave him a flash of hi-beam once. The driver was relentless. I was driving like 140km/h in a Kelisa, but the bus chased on. I guess the driver thinks that only he can go on hi-beamming people from behind, but he cannot kena even once.
In the end, I had to pull over at a rest area after managing to pull off from that SOB driver. I waited at the rest area till I saw the him pass by.
What an experience.
Imagine if you pull out the statistic for accidents involving busses in Malaysia. I am positive that most of it, especially those on highways happened at night or after midnight. On my personal experience covering those accidents for work, I bet my limbs that 80% of them happened after dark.
What are the drivers trying to prove? That they rule the streets at night? Damn, they have many innocent lives depending on how they drive, yet they go on driving like crazy.
The govt needs to implement some kind of method to monitor busses in Malaysia. Introducing the GPS tracker is a good way in doing so. In Taiwan, city buses are equipped with those devices that are monitored at the bus company HQ. The HQ will tell the driver to slow down or speed up a little if they are ahead/behind schedule.
Why not do something similar here? We should start with express busses la. They have claimed many lives already. Baca lagi!

Hahaha!!!

Hahahah! Harian Metro made Lars Umlaut a superstar!


Pilih syaitan
KUALA LUMPUR: Awas! Remaja yang gemar bermain permainan komputer perlu berhati-hati apabila memilih permainan, terutama berasaskan muzik rock dan punk berikutan sesetengahnya boleh menjejaskan akidah.
Itu adalah sebahagian daripada berita muka depan mereka yang menyatakan sebuah permainan video mampu menjejaskan akidah.
Permainan video itu sebenarnya bertajuk Guitar Hero. Menurut kata paper tu, videogame itu "memaparkan grafik seakan-akan kalimah Allah ketika ‘syaitan’ bermain gitar." Syaitan yang dimaksudkan mereka ialah karekter gitaris yang kita pilih untuk main game tu lah. Sebenarnya, satu saja pun karekter yang kalau nak cop syaitan pun iaitu, Lars Umlaut (gambar). Nak kata setan pun, aku rasa badut lagi sesuai kut. Remember KISS?
Mengenai kalimah Allah, sepanjang aku main lima edition game tu, tak pernah pulak ternampak benda sebegitu. Grunge, ko ada nampak?
Tapi yang paling kelakar sekali, ayat ni: "Menurutnya, setiap pemain hanya perlu memilih satu karakter syaitan sebelum mengikut nota lagu yang ditetapkan."
Adik oi, satu karekter je pun yang macam setan, tu pun sebenarnya takleh nak kata setan sebab pakai bedak macam badut.
Haih, sudahlah. Paper tu pun macam UMNO. Dok sogok minda Melayu dengan sampah, macam calon UMNO sogok perwakilan dengan duit lah. To all GH fans out there, ROCK ON! Baca lagi!

TidakkK!

Nope, aku tak ada blog baru. Dah berbulan, I think about 2 months kot aku tak hapdet blog. Bukan tak ada apa happenings in my life. Banyak je . Dapat anak, jaga anak, dapat roommate baru, beli kasut lari baru, pegi lari-lari balik, rambut dah panjang, memacam lagi la.
Cuma takda semangat nak menulis. Boleh? Keje aku hari-hari menulis. Sampai kat blog aku sendiri, dah tak tau apa anak tulis. Gila agaknya.

On another note. Aku letih. Partner aku yang tak semenggah tu banyak pulak meeting dia kat KL tuh. So, it meant i had to work alone for most of the time. This week je, aku dah keje 7 days straight. Kalah bangla/burmese kat Ol& T*wn beb. Haih. Penat. Letih beb, letih. Jadi aku pun ngabihkan la masa rehat lepas keje dengan main PS2, main bowling, layan astro, pegi jamming (bos baru layan lagu 60an la....gian nak rock nih! Warpigs!@!!)Adala haritu tengok wayang sekali, citer apa ntah. Nak tengok latest movie, tak sampai hati plak kat Anne. Then sampai off day, baru la balik KL. Travel. Lepak-lepak. Travel. Kembali ke Melakeee la cilakee.
Dah la, merapu je nih. Tido tido. Baca lagi!

Conman, kaki busuk and Guitar Hero

When I was at the steps of platform 9 Puduraya, inhaling exhaust fumes while waiting for my bus to Melaka, a Chinese guy approached me. "Abang, mau pigi Mlaka ka? Saya pun mau pigi sana. Tapi saya ah, baru sampai dari Penang. Tapi saya kena rompak woo. Tengok tangan sini ada luka, muka pun ada. (Sambil mengeluarkan dompet kosong yang hanya ada IC) "Tengok alamat saya, no. 57 Bukit Baru. Saya mau pinjam sepuloh linggit boley ka?" Looking at the IC, it was a picture of a chubby man wearing thick, black-rimmed glasses. The IC starts with 69****, means he supposed to be 39. But I kid you not, the face look totally different and no way the man standing in front of me is 39! I just shoved him off and said "Tadak duit lah". God. If he was trying to con me, that's just crap man. But if he was really robbed, I pity u. But there shud be more than just one way to get money to go home, rite?
Finally, I make it on the bus. It was a pleasant journey during which I could not sleep partly because the Italian Roast (tasty giler!) coffee I drank before. Then, upon reaching Seremban, there's this smell. The peculiar, stinking smell that you wish wouldn't smell in a confined area. The smell of a stinking feet. Bau kaki sial! Siapa la bodoh sangat nak bagi bau kaki dalam bas!!!! Its either the person is stupid, or just having a blocked nose. Lucky I have a bag of ground coffee beans in my bag. That just saved me from my agony. So from Seremban to Melaka, I was sniffing coffee.
On another note, I played Guitar Hero. It is fun. Got the wife hooked on it too, altho she's not the gaming type. Semua ini salah Grunge! He introduced me to it! But seriously, playing that game for a continuous period of time makes you somewhat dizzy. Once you stopped, almost everything you look at seems to move...Creepy. And the warning also said that playing the game for a long period can lead to epileptic seizure. Hahah! Funny, and scary. Main sikit-sikit dah la. So G, bila mau berentap lagi? Baca lagi!

My father, the Greenthumb (mother oso laa)

I have always remembered home as somewhere green. It has always been green with plants my father planted together with the tender care of my mom. Before the front yard was covered with tiles, it was a garden, with pokok buah 'amra', starfruit, ciku, and not to mention the flowers. Even my wife remembers the my home as the house with "banyak pokok-pokok". That was the front. Meanwhile at the back, he planted guava, tomatoes, some greens and stuff. That was then.
Now, the front yard is limited to flowers. The back? After the extension of the kitchen, a little space is left for gardening. Most of it moved to the side where he now plants tomatoes, ladyfinger, eggplant and chilli.
BUT, there's a huge but there. The whole yard behind our home, which belongs to the municipal council (I guess) is brimmed full of his handiwork. Pisang tanduk, pisang apatahlagi, ubi kayu, ciku, betik, and not mention my pokok kelapa. I insisted the kelapa because the shade it can give him while busy gardening..hehe. It is a big kelapa tree, not the gading ones.
Anyway, me in Melaka found out a place selling this hydroponic thingy where you plant veggies without the use of soil. My dad used to plant his with the same technique until the company which make the fertilizers suddenly went missing (or should i say gulung tikar?) So now the hydroponic housing (which is a two tiered rack with cover) becomes the two-storey bungalow for my cats. I mentioned to him that I found out this hydroponic thingy here and mom was ecstatic. They ordered 8 sets for me to buy. That's how ecstatic they are. Eight! Well I guess, it's good as well, they can eat the crops and money will be saved a little.
Enjoy gardening!
p/s: my cherry tomatoes are blossoming! Baca lagi!

Muka siapa tu?

Tuan-tuan dan puan-puan. Macam muka siapa? Teka...teka... Scan 4D di atas adalah yang pertama kami buat at 33 weeks pregnancy. Nampak muka! My first impression was nampak macam muka maknye. Ada satu lagi scan, yang tu nampk muka baby tengah mencebik, macam mama dia selalu buat. Tak habis-habis cebik. kan dah membawa ke budak dalam perut? Hahahha! Anyway it was fun to watch the doc make a 4D scan. So far baby dah in position, belum engage. Maybe, due date is prolonged to 20th Dec. The baby pun not that heavy, around 1.7kg je. Preparations? Almost done except for breast pumps. As for me, tunggu masa nak balik tengok baby delivered la. Hmmm...
. Baca lagi!

Ahh!

Selamat kembali bekerja. Aku memang baru kembali bekerja. Korang, aku tak tau la. Tapi aku baru je habis cuti. Bukan dari raya pertama ok. Raya kelima baru aku balik. Malam raya, aku naik bas balik KL. And pada malam hari raya pertama, aku dah balik Melaka balik. Ok la, at least aku tak keje masa 1st raya kan, macam ada tauke minyak unta itu (keh keh). Anyway, im feeling a little jaded la mula balik keje.

Hey j-j-jaded
In all it's misery
It will always be what I love and hated
And maybe take a ride to the other side
We're thinkin' of
We'll slip into the velvet glove
And be jaded

-Jaded, from Just Push Play, Aerosmith 2001.

Dont you just wish you could take a ride to the other side? Simply just like that. Sigh.

Anyway, talking about raya and all, this time around masa bercuti seminggu (phew) I managed to meet quite a lot of long lost friends. Good for me. Sorry la guys, bukannya tak nak jumpa tapi masa aku ada kat KL pun tak lama usually. 1 hari, atau paling kuat 3 hari. Nak tolong sana tolong sini kat umah lagi, melawat mertua lagi, run errands, spend 'quality time' with wife... then all out of the sudden, dah panjat bas double decker balik Melaka. 'Double decker, double decker taste so good...' (camtu ke lagu dia?) Anyway,mana yang sempat aku jumpa masa balik raya baru ni, thanks for not forgetting me. I surely do not. Baca lagi!

Let's shoot the messenger.

Next time a postman comes to bring a letter of bad news to you, shoot him. Next time a friend tells you that your stock in the stock market falls, slap him in the face. Next time a reporter reports a news that's displeasing to you, ISA him. Yes, let's shoot the messenger, shall we?

The arrest of Tan Hoon Cheng, a Sin Chew Daily reporter under Section 73 (1) ISA following Datuk Ahmad Bukit Bendera (DABB) statement of 'racial differences' was appalling. To those who did not follow, the arrest of Hoon Cheng was due to fact that 'her life was threatened'. When asked why not Hoon Cheng was asked to come to the police for questioning, Home Affairs Minister Syed Hamid Albar said that "it was always difficult when police had to deal with reporters". Well, i guess dealing with reporters are the same to dealing with DSAI, where he also had to be picked up by police at his house for questioning. To note, DABB was only 'summoned' to come to the police to record his statements, but he went missing for sometime. Not even Pak Lah could contact him then.

To some effect, Hoon Cheng should be proud that she was taken under ISA. She was the second only journalist to be taken under ISA after the late Tan Sri A Samad Ismail. Not even a single reporter was taken in during Ops Lallang 1987. While DABB? He got suspended for three years from UMNO. Probably just a 'jentik di telinga' compared to the draconian (*phew) ISA detention Hoon Cheng got. Yeah, she was released after less than 24 hours detained, but the damage was already done.

What was this? A play of intimidation game with the media. They are just merely reporting of what was said, but instead of the perpetrator got punished, the messenger was. To the BN govt, good luck in your effort to regain popularity. Lots of luck. Baca lagi!

What I got for my b'day

Thank you, all! Robert Capa: The Definitive Collection *thank you sayang!*

Travel & Nature :The World's Top Photographers' Workshops *thanks Yan!*

and....I got myself
A TANK!

Kinda busy building the tank now. Even tho its not the type that I really wanted, but this will do. And it's a lot smaller. Sebesar tapak tangan, I guess. Anyway, I managed to build the turret. Lots of small pieces. Which reminds me to buy a tweezer. Happy Ramadan all!

Baca lagi!

Al-Fatihah for Pak Samad

One of the great journalist, A. Samad Ismail passed away on Thursday. He was 84. It is such a loss. He was a freedom fighter. A nationalist. I once got a glimpse of him while I was in BH doing my practical in 2001. He was wheelchair bound that time, for reasons I do not know. He was being wheeled away to the lift, while I was about to enter the office. There he was, the great A. Samad Ismail. Still with his thick, black-rimmed glasses. A part of ASAS 50 group, his writings are as sharp as the tip of a knife. I do have a book on his writings. Eloquent. May you rest in peace, Pak Samad. Al-Fatihah. Baca lagi!

happy birthday, me...

Another year chucked off my life. 29 now. If masuk competition, this is the last year to be in the age group. Next year dah kena masuk junior veteran dah kut. Some may say i have another year before experiencing mid life crisis. The crisis so far for me is having to work my ass here in Melaka while my wife and soon to be born child in KL. It just dont click with me. I want to go back. And working here is like shit. Dah malas. Imagine not coming in the office for 3 straight days. But i somehow managed to send stories from the comfort of my rented house kan. My point is, I'm sick n tired of digging kos*mo's kinda of stories. All they ever want is 'tinjauan' this and 'tinjauan' that. I may have outgrown it, i guess. I am seriously hunting for a new vocation now. If else, i'll try to further my studies. Maybe. I dunno. But i need to get out of here fast. T.E.N.S.I.O.N. Aduh, bosan lah! Anyway, thanks to all who wished me a happy birthday. You guys will be at the back of my heart. And for kicks, I'll get the toy tank. How stupid useless things can satisfy you... Baca lagi!

It's August!

August comes again, and its time for me to splurge!. Why? Becoz me birthday (*aku suda tua) is just around the corner. About 19 days to come la. I feel like getting something for myself, which I rarely do lately. Eh btul ke? Ngehhhhh hehehe. Ada la kebenarannya sikit kecuali henfon Sony Ericsson yg amat best beberapa bulan lalu. But lately tadak la.. Beli kasut pun kena rembat kat masjid. Hampehs. Anyway, here is some of the choices that i have narrowed down for me to pick one. (Satu je la mana ada duit duh!).

1. World Press Photo 2008 book. A collection of the best press photography all year long with pictures that will sure to move you. I saw one at Kino. (Edit: someone apparently bermurah hati nak hadiahkan this book to me, which up to now I dont know who lagik kan. But thank you!)
2. Think-Tank Lens Changer 25. Easier for me to change lens during 'shoonting' la. Just drop it in and voila! Saw it at Keat (Pudu) and YL Pudu Plaza.
3. Tank wants a tank! A Tamiya German Tiger 1, 1/16 scale model. Memang orgasmic giler tengok tank ni even inside its box. Imagine klau dapat tengok live? You have to live circa 1942 to be able to la kan. Tengok PT-91M menembak aritu pun dah best!
4. And maybe...this may seem far fetched (money wise). A dry cabinet for my ever expanding lense collection. AIPO Digital Series AP-38EX Dry Cabinet. Keeps moisture out of my camera and lenses, so no lumut! They do lumut you know, more if in such humid weather as ours. I saw this at shashinki.com
   

So there it is. Good choices out of many junks that I often wished I had. Good, useful choices apa, kan? Jadi, item manakah yang akan menjadi milik saudara kita yang bertuah ini? Nantikan jawapannya! Baca lagi!

My quirky wife

My wife has a quirky way of saying, or should I say expressing her thoughts. She will use 'movie lines' words like sangat, tanpa and betapa. That always made me laugh.
"You selalu tengok movie tanpa I"
Tahu tak betapa I rindukan you"

Haahaha I always get a crack out of her.
Her quirkiness, makes her unique.

Baca lagi!

Kung kung kung (kkk jugak)

Arrghhhh tekak ku! Mengeluarkan bunyi berdengking-dengkung tiap malam. Cakap pun suara garau jek. Sakit tekak! Ini berjangkit ngan Yan kut...ko memang pembawa penyakit la. Tahun ni je dah berapa kali ko sakit? Adehhh.....kung kung kungg! Baca lagi!

KKK

Buat kawan-kawan lama yang mengambil YKT213 (Zaharom), di sini ada artikel menarik... It might be a bit late, but here goes...

Kebebasan dengan tanggungjawab
Oleh Johan Jaaffar

TIDAK ada wartawan yang lebih berotoriti bercakap tentang "kebebasan
media" dari John Pilger. Berasal dari Australia, Pilger bukan sahaja
merupakan wartawan yang membuat laporan di medan perang dan di banyak
lapangan konflik tetapi beliau juga seorang penelaah dan pengkritik media
yang berani. Buku terbarunya Freedom Next Time sekali lagi membuka mata
kita tentang dilema pangamal media serta tanggungjawab moral mereka dalam
dunia yang semakin keliru dan biadab. Sebelum ini Pilger menghasilkan
Distant Voices, juga kritikan terhadap amalan kewartawanan.
Memang tiada siapa yang dapat menafikan pengaruh media hari ini.
Walaupun apa yang disebutkan "media alternatif" yang secara mudah
ditafsir sebagai laporan, analisis dan berita dalam dunia siber, media
tradisional masih punya taringnya. Lebih suku abad selepas Peristiwa
Watergate - titik tolak penting bagaimana media dikagumi dan digeruni -
dunia media sudah jauh berubah. Tetapi satu hal tidak berubah - prinsip
dan etika yang mendukung dunia kewartawanan itu sendiri.
Pilger mengingatkan kita tentang bagaimana pengamal media harus
bertanggungjawab pada profesyennya. Dalam konteks yang lebih luas ialah
tanggungjawab itu melebihi sekadar melapor dan membuat liputan. Berita
yang dilaporkan bukan sekadar peristiwa dan sejarah. Berita punya sebab
dan akibatnya selain latar belakang dan sejarahnya. Maka itu pemberitaan
yang objektif tidak sekadar melaporkan sesuatu dalam konteks berita yang
tertera tetapi juga rentetan peristiwa di belakang berita itu.
Pilger menunjukkan bagaimana media sering melupakan isu yang lebih
pokok apabila diseret untuk melaporkan berita semasa yang besar dan
sensasi. Malah aspek mensensasikan berita inilah yang selalunya
meletakkan pengamal media pada kritikan dan kecaman umum. Ada pemberitaan
"pasang siap" yang tujuannya tidak lebih untuk keperluan tertentu,
lengkap dengan "slant" dan "spin" yang tersendiri.
Pilger bukan sendirian menegur hal ini. Sebelum ini kacau bilau media
Amerika Syarikat (AS) dilabelkan oleh Howard Kurtz sebagai "sarkas
media." Dalam Media Matters, John Friskie menegur masyarakat yang
dianggapnya "gila media." Manusia menganggap sebagai betul apa sahaja
yang dilaporkan pada mereka selain mengagumi tokoh-tokoh yang dibina oleh
media.
Pilger mengingatkan pengamal media bagaimana mereka kadang-kala terlupa
bahawa akibat ingin kelihatan "bertanggungjawab", mereka melupakan
prinsip yang menjadi teras profesion mereka. Ada "kuasa lebih tinggi"
yang menguasai pertimbangan mereka. Ada kalanya kuasa itu datang dari
pimpinan kerajaan, ada kalanya dari tuan punya media itu atau editor yang
mempunyai kepentingan sendiri.
Ambil sahaja contoh reaksi media AS selepas Peristiwa September 11,
2001. Media negara itu "dituntut" untuk memperlihatkan diri mereka
patriotik jikalau tidak mereka dianggap tidak relevan. Malah nada
patriotisme itu menguasai media arus perdana hinggakan pertimbangan lain
dikesampingkan. Dalam rencana saya, "Media as Manipulator" dalam akhbar
New Straits Times, 18 Disember 2001, saya menanyakan apakah benar media
AS beroperasi sebagai "media yang dirancang" (a managed one) oleh
tangan-tangan yang tidak kelihatan? Saya menanyakan juga tentang
hancurnya hak asasi dan kebebasan sebenar dalam waktu seumpama itu. Media
Barat menggunakan kata-kata dan ungkapan yang mewajarkan tindakan
kerajaan mereka. Islam dilabelkan militan dan istilah "jihadist" pertama
kali muncul untuk mewajarkan tindakan keganasan penganut agama Islam.
Pilger melihat bahaya yang lain. Menurut beliau media Barat bertindak
sebagai serpihan dari mentaliti penjajahan yang masih berleluasa. Andaian
kolonial amat jelas apabila media AS melaporkan jumlah mangsa di dua buah
menara di New York pada 11 September itu, lebih kurang 8,000 orang. Tiada
siapa yang mengingat angka yang diberikan oleh Organisasi Makanan dan
Pertanian PBB mengenai bilangan kematian kanak-kanak dalam sehari di
dunia - 36,615 orang.
Apabila tentera AS menyerang Baghdad, di daerah al-Shula, 62 orang
terkorban akibat sasaran bom yang salah. Seperti banyak mangsa serangan
AS dan sekutunya, mereka tidak lebih "collateral damage." BBC, badan
penyiaran Britain yang turut terikut dengan sentimen AS membuat laporan
45 saat kejadian itu atau kurang sesaat bagi setiap mangsa. Tumpuan media
Barat pada ketika itu hanya pada tindakan menghancurkan tentera Saddam
Hussein - "makhluk" yang sebenarnya ciptaan AS dan sekutunya.
Mengapakah mangsa serangan AS dan sekutunya tidak sepenting kematian
beberapa orang anggota tentera mereka? Mengapakah nasib 800 juta manusia
yang hidup dengan RM3.20 sehari tidak mendapat perhatian berbanding
dengan pertandingan merebut jawatan Presiden AS?
Tidak banyak orang yang tahu makna sebenar "dasar luar AS kepada
kemanusiaan." Inilah dasar yang tidak mungkin berubah walaupun siapa yang
memenangi Pilihan Raya Presiden kali ini - Barack Obama atau John McCain.
Menurut buku Rogue State karya William Blum, di antara tahun 1945 hingga
2005, AS telah cuba menggulingkan 50 kerajaan, kebanyakannya kerajaan
yang mengamalkan demokrasi, dan menghancurkan 30 gerakan popular rakyat
menentang rejim yang menindas, mengebom 25 buah negara dan menyebabkan
kematian berjuta-juta manusia.
AS membelanjakan RM1.2 trilion pada tahun 2003 untuk tenteranya. Jumlah
itu 33 kali ganda lebih banyak daripada perbelanjaan ketenteraan
terkumpul tujuh buah negara yang dilabelkan "negara penyangak" oleh
Presiden Bush. Jumlah itu meningkat lagi selepas September 11.
Secara mudah, "orang lain" dianggap "expandable" dari kacamata media
Barat yang dikelabui oleh perspektif dan wacana kolonial ini. Apalah
maknanya rakyat negara-negara miskin yang saban hari mati kerana
kebuluran atau Aids? Pilger menunjukkan perang untuk membasmi kemiskinan
dan buta huruf di negara-negara Latin Amerika tidak pernah menarik
perhatian media AS, sebaliknya perang saudara di Nicaragua menjadi isu
besar.
Kita jangan lupa, terorisme merupakan perkataan baru yang diberi makna
baru selepas 11 September. Sebelum itu, AS membantu hampir semua gerakan
ketenteraan dan kumpulan penentang dari Nicaragua hingga Afghanistan.
Mereka wira media AS. September 11 tiba-tiba menjadikan mereka pengganas.
Kita terlupa bahawa apabila PBB meluluskan resolusi pada tahun 1987
untuk ahli-ahlinya menentang "terorisme di mana sahaja dan oleh
sesiapapun yang melaksanakannya" hanya dua negara yang menentang - AS dan
Israel. Tiba-tiba AS dan sekutunya bertindak memburu sesiapa yang
dilabelnya pengganas dan menyerang negara-negara yang dianggap melindungi
pengganas. Mengapa berubah begitu cepat?
Pilger mengingatkan kita bahawa "war on terror" kini menjadi "a war of
terror." Tetapi tidak banyak wartawan Barat yang mahu menghujahkan hal
itu. Begitu juga isu yang membabitkan nasib rakyat Palestin yang telah
dinafikan hak kemanusiaan mereka selama lebih 54 tahun. Apakah pembelaan
terhadap nasib mereka berbanding dengan kekejaman rejim Israel? Oleh
kerana media pro-Yahudi menguasai pandangan umum, rakyat Palestin juga
dinafikan gelanggang hujah dan debat.
Demikianlah Pilger mengingatkan pengamal media tentang bahaya melihat
hanya dari perspektif yang sempit. Semua pengamal media harus bercermin
diri untuk melihat sejauh mana kita mendukung sesuatu pendirian atau
fahaman. Dalam konteks pengaruhnya memang media boleh memutar belit dan
memperdaya. Media tidak boleh membenarkan peraturan politik - dari
mana-mana pihak - menentukan agendanya.
Lagipun media banyak kaitannya dengan persepsi. Banyak orang yang
melihat "perspektif yang sempit" hanya dalam konteks kononnya hanya media
arus perdana negara ini yang terkawal dan tidak punya kebebasan. Tetapi
realitinya apakah media milik parti pembangkang bebas dan objektif?
Apakah mereka memegang prinsip kewartawanan yang sebenar? Mengapakah ada
double-satandard dalam membuat penilaian?
Pembinaan sebuah masyarakat sivil harus bertolak dari media yang bebas.
Media bebas tidak datang tanpa komitmen dan prinsip. Memang kita boleh
menghujahkan apa maknanya kebebasan media dan hak bersuara. Debatnya akan
berpanjangan. Tetapi satu hal adalah jelas - kebebasan media harus datang
dengan tanggungjawab dan bukan lesen untuk memporak peranda, merosak atau
memfitnah.
(END)

HELP
Baca lagi!

Where are we now?

OK. I don’t know how to say this but semenjak petrol naik harga, I’ve always calculate whatever it is yang hendak di beli.
“Perlu ke beli barang tu? Mana lagi murah? Price per volume, is it a value buy?”
OK. I don’t know how to say this but semenjak petrol naik harga, I’ve always calculate whatever it is yang hendak di beli.
“Perlu ke beli barang tu? Mana lagi murah? Price per volume, is it a value buy?”

Itu belum masuk langkah naik bas untuk balik KL every week. Come to think of it, memang murah balik naik bas. Tapi I couldn’t clock the extra hours at home just to take the bus the night before work. Cost balik KL naik kereta: petrol = RM60, toll = RM33 menjadikan jumlahnya = RM93. Almost RM100 kalau you kira air nesacafe tin yang selalu beli kat Petronas Seremban (sometimes I even slept there if I’m too tired or start driving late) or lain-lain makanan. Kos naik bas? RM19 pergi dan balik.

At one point dulu, a few months before, I thought I was having THE life. Travel with no qualms, sekali-sekala pegi makan sedap, not to mention balik KL naik my tRUSTY ol’ Volvo kan. But when the fuel price naik, nak makan nasi 2x sehari pun dah fikir 2x. Harga makanan kat kedai (prepared food) dah naik sikit. Sepinggan nasi campur yang dulunya RM3, mungkin dah naik RM4. Ikut lauk la. As for me, I’m a simple eater. Nasi separuh, satu meat and satu sayur. Cukup. Air suam. Now malam-malam dah tak makan kat kedai. Kalau ya pun, capati kedai mamak yang aku akan mintak parpu dia banyak-banyak, or gulung roti sendiri kat rumah. Yes, gulung roti. Beli that roti bentuk cam capati (glamourously called tortilla) tu, sumbat la to your heart’s content. For starters, aku sumbat fish fingers, fresh tomatoes and some sayur butterhead. Bukan some la, kembung roti tu aku sumbat sayur ok! Hey, fibers fills you up apa!

I don’t know la. The recent price hike is going to hit hard on most Malaysians. I know this may sound too cliché, but percaya atau tak, buktinya akan kelihatan on the streets nanti. Orang terdesak akan buat apa saja tau. Itu belum kira graduate yang baru masuk workforce on a meager pay of around RM1,400 a month. Jangan mimpi la nak pakai kereta. Satu masa dulu, boleh gak tengok new young exec bawa kelisa ke, wira ke, waja ke. Skang ni, bagi free pun tak tentu nak lagi.

Haih, entah la. Aku kata, ikat perut je la. Takyah membazir beli barang tak perlu. Seluar tu kalau dah koyak kat celah kangkang, baru ganti. Haha. Tissue paper kat rumah, beli aja house brand (tesco, giant etc). Makanan? Ikut saranan Ungku Aziz: makan banyak makanan berserat. And tukar mentol rumah pakai energy saving bulb. Tutup suis yang mana tak pakai. Jangan put your tv on standby. Kereta petrol/diesel tukar pakai CNG (compressed natural gas). Skip starbucks/coffeebean. If you have to, bancuh kat rumah aja. Cycle to work. Take up public transportation if you can. Bagi yang bujang, jangan duduk rumah lama-lama. Ia membazir elektrik dan air. Lepak ofis saja. Main internet free atau game dalam keselesaan air-cond free. Kompeni yang bayar, tak apa. Balik untuk tidur saja. Haha! OK lah, aku nak balik rumah untuk tidur.
Baca lagi!

Peranan media?

Aku tertarik membaca rencana dalam akhbar Utusan Malaysia hari ini yang mempersoalkan peranan dan tanggungjawab media semasa kemelut kenaikan harga minyak baru-baru ini.

Penulis rencana tersebut menyoal tugas media dalam memberi penjelasan kepada rakyat (mass) mengenai apa yang sebenarnya berlaku dalam kemelut kenaikan harga minyak global.

Persoalannya, perlukan media dipersoalkan untuk memberi penjelasan kepada rakyat? Apakah peranan media sebenarnya? Siapakah yang sebenarnya perlu memberi penjelasan?

Aku tertarik membaca rencana dalam akhbar Utusan Malaysia hari ini yang mempersoalkan peranan dan tanggungjawab media semasa kemelut kenaikan harga minyak baru-baru ini.

Penulis rencana tersebut menyoal tugas media dalam memberi penjelasan kepada rakyat (mass) mengenai apa yang sebenarnya berlaku dalam kemelut kenaikan harga minyak global.

Persoalannya, perlukan media dipersoalkan untuk memberi penjelasan kepada rakyat? Apakah peranan media sebenarnya? Siapakah yang sebenarnya perlu memberi penjelasan?

Media tidak memberi penjelasan. Mereka hanya memberi penjelasan sekiranya melakukan kesilapan laporan, kesilapan ejaan (jika akhbar) dan pembetulan fakta. Yang perlu memberi penjelasan dalam hal kenaikan minyak ialah kerajaan.

Media, bagi pengamalnya yang mengetahui hanyalah sekadar gatekeepers. Media tidak melontarkan hujah-hujah atau pemikirannya tersendiri, kecuali dalam kolum lidah pengarang (bagi akhbar).

Asal usul perkataan media mungkin boleh disusur melalui perkataan medium dalam bahasa Latin yang bermaksud penghubung atau saluran yang menghubungkan. Media yang kita tahu hari ini adalah perantara yang menghubungkan dan menyebarkan maklumat menerusi cara cetak atau elektronik.

Seorang pensyarah yang saya kagumi dulu pernah mempersoalkan apakah itu komunikasi. Isitlah komunikasi, menurutnya yang menjadi pensyarah di Pusat Pengajian Komunikasi di Universiti Sains Malaysia, sepatutnya tidak digunakan. Hujah beliau, komunikasi itu bukan Bahasa Melayu dan istilah yang tepat adalah perutusan.

Tapi saya bukan hendak memperjuangkan istilah perutusan mengatasi komunikasi yang telah diguna pakai secara meluas. Pokoknya, pensyarah itu pernah mengajar saya apakah caranya pengamal media mendapatkan bahan untuk media mereka. Menurutnya, secara ringkas, pengamal media perlu mendapatkan bahan dari pihak kedua atau ketiga, dan bukan diri sendiri. Ini bermakna, media perlu mendapatkan penjelasan daripada kerajaan, sekiranya ada, tentang isu kenaikan harga minyak dan barang makanan. Bukannya tampil ke depan menjelaskannya menggunakan hujah tersendiri.

Media hanyalah gatekeepers, seperti yang dikatakan tadi. Dengan erti kata lain, pelbagai maklumat melalui pengamal media -yang baik mahupun sebaliknya – sebelum ditapis dan dihebahkan kepada orang ramai.

Secara idealnya, media tidak boleh bias kepada mana-mana pihak dengan menyiarkan pandangan atau hujah sebelah pihak sahaja. Namun idealisme ini tidak wujud di Malaysia. Ini kerana peranannya sebagai gatekeepers, dibayangi telunjuk pihak tertentu yang dalam konteks yang lebih luas, menguasai segala-galanya. Pihak ini bekerja rapat dengan media tempatan bagi memastikan propaganda, agenda dan isu mereka berjaya dihebahkan kepada orang ramai.

Tindakan kerajaan menaikkan harga minyak petrol kepada RM2.70 dan diesel kepada RM2.58 sudah tentu bukan satu tindakan yang popular, seperti yang diakui oleh Perdana Menteri sendiri. Dengan kenaikan itu, pelbagai tohmahan dilemparkan termasuk melibatkan Petronas.

Tugas menjawab tuduhan itu tidak terletak kepada bahu media. Bukan menjadi tanggungjawab media untuk menjadi pelindung atau penangkis tuduhan-tuduhan melulu terhadap kerajaan. Jabatan Penerangan lebih sesuai menjalankan tugas itu. Perlu diingat, sekiranya media bertindak sedemikian, ia secara terang-terangan (mungkin terlebih ‘terang’) akan bias kepada satu pihak, menjadikannya satu kesalahan media.

Mungkin pengumpulan maklumat sekunder (interviu dan soal selidik) serta tetiar (rujukan jurnal, buku dsb) dapat menghasilakan satu bahan yang boleh menjelaskan mengapa sesuatu isu itu berlaku. Tetapi penjelasan utama perlu datang daripada kerajaan. Satu masa dulu, tayangan filem banyak menyelitkan propaganda zaman perang sebelum sesuatu filem itu ditayangkan. Semuanya dilakukan pihak kerajaan. Media ketika itu lantang melaporkan keadaan yang berlaku, suara rakyat. Mungkin Jabatan Penerangan perlu segera tampil dengan penyebaran maklumat jelas mengenai isu minyak dan makanan.

Penulis rencana itu mungkin seorang yang lebih hebat daripadaku, mungkin seorang pensyarah, mungkin seorang editor. Itu aku tak tahu. Tapi yang pasti, saranannya kepada pengamal media, bukanlah tugas hakiki media.

“Jika rakyat di peringkat bawahan mengadakan demonstrasi akibat kegagalan media dan agensi penerangan memainkan peranan mereka….” – Bekas pensyarahku pasti menyoal: Bagaimana kamu main peranan? Adakah peranan itu satu permainan? Peranan itu akarnya daripada perkataan peran, yang bermaksud seseorang yang memegang watak dalam sandiwara atau pertunjukan. Memerankan bermaksud memainkan sesuatu watak. Sebetulnya, menurut pensyarah itu lagi, peranan tidak harus dimainkan, tetapi dilaksanakan. Sebagai contoh, “...melaksanakan peranan mereka”. Sejauh mana hujah pensyarahku itu dari segi morfologi ‘peranan’ itu, tidaklah diketahui. Aku hanya menyampaikan apa yang pernah dikatakannya kepadaku. Aku hanya sebagai medium.


Baca lagi!