Farouk Gulsara's Blog, page 140

Revenge via psychological torture!

Puthiya Niyamam (New Justice, Malayalam; 2016)

This crime thriller is a refreshing format that deviates from the standard Indian movie making. It is a family drama infused with elements of noir. Nayanthara plays the leading role, and the story screams of woman empowerment.

Rapes victims in most societies are looked upon condescendingly, and judgments are passed upon their behaviours with the simplest of generalisation. Even family members are no support. Most cases remain unreported for fear of bringing shame to the household, apprehension about reliving the whole event during investigation and litigation and the seemingly lenient punishments to the perpetrators. Then there is honour killing in some regions!

When Vasuki (Nayanthara), a Kathakali dancer, a homemaker and a mother of a young child who is married to a TV commentator, lawyer and artist, Louis Puthan (Mammootty), is raped, the same fears went through her mind. With the 'help' from a newly appointed crime busting lady police chief, Vasuki gauges a psychological warfare against her rapists, two drug addicts and the dhoby-man.

By invoking panic, Vasuki, drove them to take their own lives. Be prepared to be surprised at the end when the real execution is revealed to the audience. A refreshing flick. The drawback of the movie is the 'too perfect' accomplishment of plans and the irritating background music and chorus humming every time Mammootty flashes on the screen. And Mammothy is 65 years old...http://asok22.wix.com/rifle-range-boy
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The wisdom behind Murugan's Vel!

I have a confession. When I was young, at an impression age, when my guards were down, naive and the eyes of knowledge were still in slumber, I was ashamed whenever I attended religious functions. The theatrics showed by the professors of religions were, in my nimble mind, laughable. During Thaipusam and fire-walking ceremonies, the high decibels, high energies and activities that they emanated just took away any semblance of divinity from it. Now, I know better, I think, I hope.

Like the Oracles of Delphi, messages are transmitted in coded languages and double speaks. They are all symbolic notes to the secret of life. We have to understand that the religious leaders were spreading the good word to mostly illiterate simpletons and agrarians with primal needs.

The power, force, fire, sounds, noise, water and light are not as they are. The evil or dark forces are not from without but within; our naivety, ignorance and our inertia to progress. The sceptic in me, however, asks myself whether all these are just afterthoughts or justifications to our past history which is so full of carnage and evil?

The lady asks, "Murugan received the Vel (spear) from his mother Parvati to kill the enemies, right?"
"Yes," said the teacher.
The lady demands, "which mother would give a weapon to her child? Is it not irresponsible?"
The teacher sheepishly smiles to say, "It is all symbology." Whilst praising the Tamils, he replies,"... the Tamils were far ahead of their time, even more than 2500 years ago.
The Vel is actually a weapon, correct, but it is our thinking capacity. It should be sharp like the tip, wide like the blade and deep like the holder!"
To this, everybody applauded!!! Vel, Vel, Arohara!

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My way, your way or the right way?

An Insignificant Man (2017) Director: Khushboo Ranka & Vinay Shukla

Another highlight of the Malaysian Freedom Film Festival is the screening of the biopic of a taxman who decided to change the landscape of politics after a bitter event in the course of his work. Arvind Kejriwal, at a time when Anna Hazare started fasting to make people realise the widespread of corruption in Indian politics, started a new political party by the name of Aap Aadmi Party (AAP). Using the logo of a broom as its party symbol, he had hoped to clean Indian politics. Much to everybody's astonishment, this newbie did manage to oust the long-standing Chief Minister of Delhi, Sheila Dixit of the Congress Party.
This documentary tells in a much convincing manner, the trials and tribulations of an everyday man who is a greenhorn to the mind-boggling world of politics in his single-minded zest to fight cancer the society. He comes to realise that it is not easy to change the society. The community, at large, has come to terms that the system is unscrupulous. Rather than fighting an unwinnable battle against an unassailable enemy, they have resigned to the fact it is more beneficial just to embrace the wrong-doings rather than change the status quo.

Kejriwal, through his unrelenting spirit and with his selection of a trustworthy band of social reformers, managed to single-handedly shatter the idea that only wealthy politicians with past track records and connections with the two major political parties can win the election. With his single gesture, he changed the political landscape of India forever.

Unfortunately, the noblest of intentions also meet resistance. His long standing 'generals' and 'doyens' of the party parted ways along the way. It only goes on to show that life is a zero-sum game. Gains on one side is the loss of the other. No single action is all-good or all-wrong. There are always merits and demerits in any action. The best course of action is the composite of one which the best to the most. In the course of action, there are bound to be resentment and retaliation. At the end of these objections would hopefully propel the human race to a higher level of culture, evolution and wisdom.

WhatsApp conferencing with the director.
The film is plagued with legal wrangles and censorship problems.http://asok22.wix.com/rifle-range-boy
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In defence of irate people

http://www.thestar.com.my/opinion/letters/2017/09/12/in-defence-of-irate-people/
In defence of irate peopleLETTERSTuesday, 12 Sep 2017I DON’T personally know the woman who has been made an Internet sensation by someone posting an unflattering video of her berating a city council officer who clamped her car that was parked in an OKU parking lot but I sure know how it feels to be “irate”.While the cyber world watches that video and condemns her, no one really knows the war she’s been through or constantly goes through as a caregiver for an OKU (assuming it’s true).By the way, I’ve been there.As the father of a 23-year-old special needs person, or OKU as they are unceremoniously called here, I know for a fact that the daily stress level of a caregiver is beyond most people’s comprehension. Hence, a video footage shows only the consequence of her meltdown and not the reason.While I’m not making excuses for her behaviour at the time, I can tell you that it doesn’t take much to tip a caregiver (especially the primary caregiver who probably has the disabled person 24/7, 365) off the edge and go berserk.As a matter of fact, I had to restrain myself the other day as I took my strapping young special needs son to watch the Inhumans movie (a fitting title, coincidentally) which he wanted to watch at the IMAX cinema. Just as the movie was starting, my son decided he wanted to go and eat pizza instead. I spent the next 10 minutes negotiating with him to continue to watch the movie and then have dinner afterwards. He went into an angry fit and flung his backpack and sweater across the cinema. He then threatened to rip his clothes up, starting with his pants.By then, the audience was watching this spectacle rather than the movie.Next, my son stood up and berated me at the top of his voice. At that point, the art of negotiation was no longer an option.I could tackle him (as I sometimes do) to the ground (in a delicately hard but gentle manner) and hold him down for a few minutes till his meltdown tapers off. But I decided against that and took him out of the cinema as he was totally belligerent and obnoxious at that point.On the way out, he bashed the auto door and unhinged it. I spent the next 10 minutes fixing it before the management sent me a bill.On the way downstairs, he threw his bag to the ground again. By the time we made our way three floors down the mall to the pizza place, he wanted to go back to the cinema.That, my fellow human beings, is a sample of the kind of war that many caregivers fight on a daily basis.Then there was the time where we as a family decided to go bowling (a sport my son likes). But when we got to the lane (after paying and collecting the shoes, etc), he flipped and decided bowling was not the flavour of the moment.Being the calm person/father I am, I suggested we play a few rounds before moving on. Within seconds of hearing this suggestion, he was hurling 8lb bowling balls in every direction except on our paid lane.To prevent serious injury to his six-year-old sister, my wife and other bowlers, I tackled him to the ground and held him there. A wave of “woooooooooh” echoed through the 24-lane bowling alley as the other bowlers gasped at this “irate” monster of a father brawling with his defenceless son! Imagine what monster I would be called if some clever soul videoed the tackle (as they do) and posted it on social media.Let us imagine for a moment that you are the father, mother or even an adult child of a disabled person and you are financially strapped, and that every moment you have to work earns money and every moment you stay the caregiver, you earn nothing.Do remember that disability covers not just autism but everything from cerebral palsy, down syndrome, muscular dystrophy, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and dementia to a host of other conditions that debilitate not just the sufferer but in many instances the caregivers and their ability to earn too.In this instance, would “blowing” your cinema tickets or bowling fee because your special needs person goes ballistic impact on you? Let’s now imagine the stress it levies on relationships.I know many marriages and relationships in such situations fall apart. Family and friends, while they care, can only do so much. Imagine the stress level it places on stepparents of special needs people.It is not a wonder that many caregivers contemplate suicide as, for the longest time, respite care and supported living centres are relatively unheard of or were a taboo subject.Even if they are available, most have deplorable conditions or are out of the financial reach to many families.As Asians, it has been unthinkable for parents to contemplate placing their grown-up child in supported living centres because it is “not the right thing to do” while family and friends are quick to judge such “uncaring” parents.“How can you even contemplate dumping your child?” many would be quick to judge.We forget that this is 2017 and most caring countries would place emphasis on providing the much-needed support systems that enable both the disabled and the caregivers a better shot in a life worth living.No one “dumps” his or her loved ones. They provide a better place for them to have a sense of belonging and where family can visit and, in some countries, stay on holiday at the centre with their special needs person.Imagine the situation when your “child” is now 60 and you, the parent, are pushing 85. Who would be the one suffering – the judge or the judged?So perhaps, when a video like this appears on social media, let’s give the person the benefit of the doubt because we have no idea where or what’s she’s been through.Videos capture humanity at their best and also at their worst. Yet we take little time to understand why they do what they do in these videos. Unless we’ve been there.By the way, kudos to thecity council officer who was non-judgmental and gracious throughout the entire situation (not an easy feat when someone threateningly wields a steering lock at you). He should be made an exemplary officer for others to follow.He did a better job being in the hot seat than the hundreds of netizens judging and condemning the woman from the comfort and safety of their illuminated digital screens without knowing what was inside her heart. Perhaps my fellow netizens might see a different perspective by watching this video: https://youtu.be/Wl2_knlv_xwI’d like to take this opportunity to challenge the authorities to look at supported living centres and respite care centres in other countries and see how they can be done more professionally here with a little help from property developers, perhaps.Just as property developers incorporate preschools, international schools and colleges to attract house buyers, perhaps they could look at a CSR-cum-marketing unique selling point where townships incorporate supported living centres too.Do remember that at some point, someone in our families will need that support. Wouldn’t it be great if we all thought about this humanely? It could very well be you needing this centre as you age.…TERRY GKuala Lumpur
Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/opinion/let...
I DON’T personally know the woman who has been made an Internet sensation by someone posting an unflattering video of her berating a city council officer who clamped her car that was parked in an OKU parking lot but I sure know how it feels to be “irate”.While the cyber world watches that video and condemns her, no one really knows the war she’s been through or constantly goes through as a caregiver for an OKU (assuming it’s true).By the way, I’ve been there.As the father of a 23-year-old special needs person, or OKU as they are unceremoniously called here, I know for a fact that the daily stress level of a caregiver is beyond most people’s comprehension. Hence, a video footage shows only the consequence of her meltdown and not the reason.While I’m not making excuses for her behaviour at the time, I can tell you that it doesn’t take much to tip a caregiver (especially the primary caregiver who probably has the disabled person 24/7, 365) off the edge and go berserk.As a matter of fact, I had to restrain myself the other day as I took my strapping young special needs son to watch the Inhumans movie (a fitting title, coincidentally) which he wanted to watch at the IMAX cinema. Just as the movie was starting, my son decided he wanted to go and eat pizza instead. I spent the next 10 minutes negotiating with him to continue to watch the movie and then have dinner afterwards. He went into an angry fit and flung his backpack and sweater across the cinema. He then threatened to rip his clothes up, starting with his pants.By then, the audience was watching this spectacle rather than the movie.Next, my son stood up and berated me at the top of his voice. At that point, the art of negotiation was no longer an option.I could tackle him (as I sometimes do) to the ground (in a delicately hard but gentle manner) and hold him down for a few minutes till his meltdown tapers off. But I decided against that and took him out of the cinema as he was totally belligerent and obnoxious at that point.On the way out, he bashed the auto door and unhinged it. I spent the next 10 minutes fixing it before the management sent me a bill.On the way downstairs, he threw his bag to the ground again. By the time we made our way three floors down the mall to the pizza place, he wanted to go back to the cinema.That, my fellow human beings, is a sample of the kind of war that many caregivers fight on a daily basis.Then there was the time where we as a family decided to go bowling (a sport my son likes). But when we got to the lane (after paying and collecting the shoes, etc), he flipped and decided bowling was not the flavour of the moment.Being the calm person/father I am, I suggested we play a few rounds before moving on. Within seconds of hearing this suggestion, he was hurling 8lb bowling balls in every direction except on our paid lane.To prevent serious injury to his six-year-old sister, my wife and other bowlers, I tackled him to the ground and held him there. A wave of “woooooooooh” echoed through the 24-lane bowling alley as the other bowlers gasped at this “irate” monster of a father brawling with his defenceless son! Imagine what monster I would be called if some clever soul videoed the tackle (as they do) and posted it on social media.Let us imagine for a moment that you are the father, mother or even an adult child of a disabled person and you are financially strapped, and that every moment you have to work earns money and every moment you stay the caregiver, you earn nothing.Do remember that disability covers not just autism but everything from cerebral palsy, down syndrome, muscular dystrophy, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and dementia to a host of other conditions that debilitate not just the sufferer but in many instances the caregivers and their ability to earn too.In this instance, would “blowing” your cinema tickets or bowling fee because your special needs person goes ballistic impact on you? Let’s now imagine the stress it levies on relationships.I know many marriages and relationships in such situations fall apart. Family and friends, while they care, can only do so much. Imagine the stress level it places on stepparents of special needs people.It is not a wonder that many caregivers contemplate suicide as, for the longest time, respite care and supported living centres are relatively unheard of or were a taboo subject.Even if they are available, most have deplorable conditions or are out of the financial reach to many families.As Asians, it has been unthinkable for parents to contemplate placing their grown-up child in supported living centres because it is “not the right thing to do” while family and friends are quick to judge such “uncaring” parents.“How can you even contemplate dumping your child?” many would be quick to judge.We forget that this is 2017 and most caring countries would place emphasis on providing the much-needed support systems that enable both the disabled and the caregivers a better shot in a life worth living.No one “dumps” his or her loved ones. They provide a better place for them to have a sense of belonging and where family can visit and, in some countries, stay on holiday at the centre with their special needs person.Imagine the situation when your “child” is now 60 and you, the parent, are pushing 85. Who would be the one suffering – the judge or the judged?So perhaps, when a video like this appears on social media, let’s give the person the benefit of the doubt because we have no idea where or what’s she’s been through.Videos capture humanity at their best and also at their worst. Yet we take little time to understand why they do what they do in these videos. Unless we’ve been there.By the way, kudos to thecity council officer who was non-judgmental and gracious throughout the entire situation (not an easy feat when someone threateningly wields a steering lock at you). He should be made an exemplary officer for others to follow.He did a better job being in the hot seat than the hundreds of netizens judging and condemning the woman from the comfort and safety of their illuminated digital screens without knowing what was inside her heart. Perhaps my fellow netizens might see a different perspective by watching this video: https://youtu.be/Wl2_knlv_xwI’d like to take this opportunity to challenge the authorities to look at supported living centres and respite care centres in other countries and see how they can be done more professionally here with a little help from property developers, perhaps.Just as property developers incorporate preschools, international schools and colleges to attract house buyers, perhaps they could look at a CSR-cum-marketing unique selling point where townships incorporate supported living centres too.Do remember that at some point, someone in our families will need that support. Wouldn’t it be great if we all thought about this humanely? It could very well be you needing this centre as you age.…TERRY GKuala Lumpur
Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/opinion/let...
I DON’T personally know the woman who has been made an Internet sensation by someone posting an unflattering video of her berating a city council officer who clamped her car that was parked in an OKU parking lot but I sure know how it feels to be “irate”.While the cyber world watches that video and condemns her, no one really knows the war she’s been through or constantly goes through as a caregiver for an OKU (assuming it’s true).By the way, I’ve been there.As the father of a 23-year-old special needs person, or OKU as they are unceremoniously called here, I know for a fact that the daily stress level of a caregiver is beyond most people’s comprehension. Hence, a video footage shows only the consequence of her meltdown and not the reason.While I’m not making excuses for her behaviour at the time, I can tell you that it doesn’t take much to tip a caregiver (especially the primary caregiver who probably has the disabled person 24/7, 365) off the edge and go berserk.As a matter of fact, I had to restrain myself the other day as I took my strapping young special needs son to watch the Inhumans movie (a fitting title, coincidentally) which he wanted to watch at the IMAX cinema. Just as the movie was starting, my son decided he wanted to go and eat pizza instead. I spent the next 10 minutes negotiating with him to continue to watch the movie and then have dinner afterwards. He went into an angry fit and flung his backpack and sweater across the cinema. He then threatened to rip his clothes up, starting with his pants.By then, the audience was watching this spectacle rather than the movie.Next, my son stood up and berated me at the top of his voice. At that point, the art of negotiation was no longer an option.I could tackle him (as I sometimes do) to the ground (in a delicately hard but gentle manner) and hold him down for a few minutes till his meltdown tapers off. But I decided against that and took him out of the cinema as he was totally belligerent and obnoxious at that point.On the way out, he bashed the auto door and unhinged it. I spent the next 10 minutes fixing it before the management sent me a bill.On the way downstairs, he threw his bag to the ground again. By the time we made our way three floors down the mall to the pizza place, he wanted to go back to the cinema.That, my fellow human beings, is a sample of the kind of war that many caregivers fight on a daily basis.Then there was the time where we as a family decided to go bowling (a sport my son likes). But when we got to the lane (after paying and collecting the shoes, etc), he flipped and decided bowling was not the flavour of the moment.Being the calm person/father I am, I suggested we play a few rounds before moving on. Within seconds of hearing this suggestion, he was hurling 8lb bowling balls in every direction except on our paid lane.To prevent serious injury to his six-year-old sister, my wife and other bowlers, I tackled him to the ground and held him there. A wave of “woooooooooh” echoed through the 24-lane bowling alley as the other bowlers gasped at this “irate” monster of a father brawling with his defenceless son! Imagine what monster I would be called if some clever soul videoed the tackle (as they do) and posted it on social media.Let us imagine for a moment that you are the father, mother or even an adult child of a disabled person and you are financially strapped, and that every moment you have to work earns money and every moment you stay the caregiver, you earn nothing.Do remember that disability covers not just autism but everything from cerebral palsy, down syndrome, muscular dystrophy, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and dementia to a host of other conditions that debilitate not just the sufferer but in many instances the caregivers and their ability to earn too.In this instance, would “blowing” your cinema tickets or bowling fee because your special needs person goes ballistic impact on you? Let’s now imagine the stress it levies on relationships.I know many marriages and relationships in such situations fall apart. Family and friends, while they care, can only do so much. Imagine the stress level it places on stepparents of special needs people.It is not a wonder that many caregivers contemplate suicide as, for the longest time, respite care and supported living centres are relatively unheard of or were a taboo subject.Even if they are available, most have deplorable conditions or are out of the financial reach to many families.As Asians, it has been unthinkable for parents to contemplate placing their grown-up child in supported living centres because it is “not the right thing to do” while family and friends are quick to judge such “uncaring” parents.“How can you even contemplate dumping your child?” many would be quick to judge.We forget that this is 2017 and most caring countries would place emphasis on providing the much-needed support systems that enable both the disabled and the caregivers a better shot in a life worth living.No one “dumps” his or her loved ones. They provide a better place for them to have a sense of belonging and where family can visit and, in some countries, stay on holiday at the centre with their special needs person.Imagine the situation when your “child” is now 60 and you, the parent, are pushing 85. Who would be the one suffering – the judge or the judged?So perhaps, when a video like this appears on social media, let’s give the person the benefit of the doubt because we have no idea where or what’s she’s been through.Videos capture humanity at their best and also at their worst. Yet we take little time to understand why they do what they do in these videos. Unless we’ve been there.By the way, kudos to thecity council officer who was non-judgmental and gracious throughout the entire situation (not an easy feat when someone threateningly wields a steering lock at you). He should be made an exemplary officer for others to follow.He did a better job being in the hot seat than the hundreds of netizens judging and condemning the woman from the comfort and safety of their illuminated digital screens without knowing what was inside her heart. Perhaps my fellow netizens might see a different perspective by watching this video: https://youtu.be/Wl2_knlv_xwI’d like to take this opportunity to challenge the authorities to look at supported living centres and respite care centres in other countries and see how they can be done more professionally here with a little help from property developers, perhaps.Just as property developers incorporate preschools, international schools and colleges to attract house buyers, perhaps they could look at a CSR-cum-marketing unique selling point where townships incorporate supported living centres too.Do remember that at some point, someone in our families will need that support. Wouldn’t it be great if we all thought about this humanely? It could very well be you needing this centre as you age.…TERRY GKuala Lumpur
Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/opinion/let... DON’T personally know the woman who has been made an Internet sensation by someone posting an unflattering video of her berating a city council officer who clamped her car that was parked in an OKU parking lot but I sure know how it feels to be “irate”.While the cyber world watches that video and condemns her, no one really knows the war she’s been through or constantly goes through as a caregiver for an OKU (assuming it’s true).By the way, I’ve been there.As the father of a 23-year-old special needs person, or OKU as they are unceremoniously called here, I know for a fact that the daily stress level of a caregiver is beyond most people’s comprehension. Hence, a video footage shows only the consequence of her meltdown and not the reason.While I’m not making excuses for her behaviour at the time, I can tell you that it doesn’t take much to tip a caregiver (especially the primary caregiver who probably has the disabled person 24/7, 365) off the edge and go berserk.As a matter of fact, I had to restrain myself the other day as I took my strapping young special needs son to watch the Inhumans movie (a fitting title, coincidentally) which he wanted to watch at the IMAX cinema. Just as the movie was starting, my son decided he wanted to go and eat pizza instead. I spent the next 10 minutes negotiating with him to continue to watch the movie and then have dinner afterwards. He went into an angry fit and flung his backpack and sweater across the cinema. He then threatened to rip his clothes up, starting with his pants.By then, the audience was watching this spectacle rather than the movie.Next, my son stood up and berated me at the top of his voice. At that point, the art of negotiation was no longer an option.I could tackle him (as I sometimes do) to the ground (in a delicately hard but gentle manner) and hold him down for a few minutes till his meltdown tapers off. But I decided against that and took him out of the cinema as he was totally belligerent and obnoxious at that point.On the way out, he bashed the auto door and unhinged it. I spent the next 10 minutes fixing it before the management sent me a bill.On the way downstairs, he threw his bag to the ground again. By the time we made our way three floors down the mall to the pizza place, he wanted to go back to the cinema.That, my fellow human beings, is a sample of the kind of war that many caregivers fight on a daily basis.Then there was the time where we as a family decided to go bowling (a sport my son likes). But when we got to the lane (after paying and collecting the shoes, etc), he flipped and decided bowling was not the flavour of the moment.Being the calm person/father I am, I suggested we play a few rounds before moving on. Within seconds of hearing this suggestion, he was hurling 8lb bowling balls in every direction except on our paid lane.To prevent serious injury to his six-year-old sister, my wife and other bowlers, I tackled him to the ground and held him there. A wave of “woooooooooh” echoed through the 24-lane bowling alley as the other bowlers gasped at this “irate” monster of a father brawling with his defenceless son! Imagine what monster I would be called if some clever soul videoed the tackle (as they do) and posted it on social media.Let us imagine for a moment that you are the father, mother or even an adult child of a disabled person and you are financially strapped, and that every moment you have to work earns money and every moment you stay the caregiver, you earn nothing.Do remember that disability covers not just autism but everything from cerebral palsy, down syndrome, muscular dystrophy, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and dementia to a host of other conditions that debilitate not just the sufferer but in many instances the caregivers and their ability to earn too.In this instance, would “blowing” your cinema tickets or bowling fee because your special needs person goes ballistic impact on you? Let’s now imagine the stress it levies on relationships.I know many marriages and relationships in such situations fall apart. Family and friends, while they care, can only do so much. Imagine the stress level it places on stepparents of special needs people.It is not a wonder that many caregivers contemplate suicide as, for the longest time, respite care and supported living centres are relatively unheard of or were a taboo subject.Even if they are available, most have deplorable conditions or are out of the financial reach to many families.As Asians, it has been unthinkable for parents to contemplate placing their grown-up child in supported living centres because it is “not the right thing to do” while family and friends are quick to judge such “uncaring” parents.“How can you even contemplate dumping your child?” many would be quick to judge.We forget that this is 2017 and most caring countries would place emphasis on providing the much-needed support systems that enable both the disabled and the caregivers a better shot in a life worth living.No one “dumps” his or her loved ones. They provide a better place for them to have a sense of belonging and where family can visit and, in some countries, stay on holiday at the centre with their special needs person.Imagine the situation when your “child” is now 60 and you, the parent, are pushing 85. Who would be the one suffering – the judge or the judged?So perhaps, when a video like this appears on social media, let’s give the person the benefit of the doubt because we have no idea where or what’s she’s been through.Videos capture humanity at their best and also at their worst. Yet we take little time to understand why they do what they do in these videos. Unless we’ve been there.By the way, kudos to thecity council officer who was non-judgmental and gracious throughout the entire situation (not an easy feat when someone threateningly wields a steering lock at you). He should be made an exemplary officer for others to follow.He did a better job being in the hot seat than the hundreds of netizens judging and condemning the woman from the comfort and safety of their illuminated digital screens without knowing what was inside her heart. Perhaps my fellow netizens might see a different perspective by watching this video: https://youtu.be/Wl2_knlv_xwI’d like to take this opportunity to challenge the authorities to look at supported living centres and respite care centres in other countries and see how they can be done more professionally here with a little help from property developers, perhaps.Just as property developers incorporate preschools, international schools and colleges to attract house buyers, perhaps they could look at a CSR-cum-marketing unique selling point where townships incorporate supported living centres too.Do remember that at some point, someone in our families will need that support. Wouldn’t it be great if we all thought about this humanely? It could very well be you needing this centre as you age.…TERRY GKuala Lumpur
Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/opinion/let...


http://asok22.wix.com/rifle-range-boy
http://.facebook.com/farouk.gulsara
www.riflerangeboy.com

The Eye in the Sky knows?

Using the smartphone app Waze is pretty much like using our senses to manoeuvre ourselves through the journey of life.
Getting from Point A to Point B has never been easier. Whether you are new to an area or need to go somewhere in fastest possible time, Waze comes to our rescue. So, we would like to think. And we pacify ourselves that it must be the shortest route or the speediest one. Is it really? Sometimes, we cannot wonder but ask ourselves, are we actually taking the best route?

More often than not, on our return journey, we had been made to realise that there is indeed a more convenient route than the one we had used earlier. But then, who is to know how it would have been if we had indeed taken the other path? Is it a question of the grass being greener on the other side or a case of sour grapes just to pacify ourselves?
The situation is pretty much the same when we are told early in life how life should be lived. We are told to follow certain rituals and rules so as not to upset the status quo. We are told that tranquillity must prevail, the boat must not be rocked and that elders before us have paved the way. We should not be a smart alec to scientifically argue and rationalise certain seemingly paganistic practices.
We are informed that every gesture, symbol and material had its scientific basis that we are just too naive to comprehend. In time, we would see clearly when the haze was gone. 
Now, after what seems like aeons later, we are still groping in the dark. Just like the users of Waze, should we just accept that the eye in the sky that oversees what we cannot see about the traffic situation is right beyond any shadow of a doubt? Or should we still be a sceptic that the technology is not infallible and knowledge always need to evolve and be renewed? Or should we just take it like Pascal, the real Mathematician who took the question of belief in God in the spirit of probability? Being wrong in the divine sense means punitive actions for eternity, which is a mighty long time. He, therefore, decided to be a believer as it made more mathematical sense to be one than not!http://asok22.wix.com/rifle-range-boy
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Nobody cares, really!

The Hills and the Sea (2017)
Director: Andrew Ng

Nobody actually bothers about the little people in this world. They only matter to leaders when they are not on the ruling side or to ruling leaders when it is time for their re-election. Otherwise, it is just lip-service.

This 25-minute documentary highlights the effects of over development of Penang Island to the coastal fishing community of Tanjung Tokong and the displacement of the Dusky Leaf monkeys from the hills of Penang.

Reclamation of lands around the Penang has utterly destroyed the corals, swamp and the marine life around the bay around Tanjung Tokong. Small time coastal fishermen had been sustaining their family for generations with their little boat catching fishes, crabs and prawns in this area. The building of high rise luxury apartments had not only damaged their rice bowls, but it has also made them strangers on their own turf. A portion of the lagoon had been cordoned off and is classified private property.

Pleas to the powers that be by the fishermen representatives for aid for bigger boats and durable fishing nets as well as equipment for deep sea fishing has fallen on deaf ears. The silence from the leaders is deafening. Some how, these little people feel sidelined to serve the interests of the developers. They are not anti-development but merely want to be able to join in the merriment of living in comfort as the state prospers.

The scarcity of land also pushes development towards the hills. The introvert occupants of these hills, the Dusky Leaf monkeys are feeling the brunt of loss of habitat and difficulty in finding food as the highway cuts through their home. Researcher Joleen Yap highlights the plights of these cute animals as they become road kills when they have to venture far from their usual surroundings for survival. Her efforts seem to be bearing fruit as the people high up have agreed to reassess the environmental impact of the project. Things like canopy bridges are in the pipeline to ease their access to the other parts of the island.

This film debuted at the Malaysian Freedom Film Festival on 2nd September 2017. After the screening of the documentary, the Director, Joleen Yap and the representatives of the affected fishermen were there in person to highlight their grievances.




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Nobody's child!

Selfie with the Prime Minister (2017)
Directors: Nor Arlene Tan, Grace Cho

At first I thought it was just a film to showcase the plight of the migrants and the hardship that they had to endure on a daily basis after being swindled by human traffickers and shunned by the Malaysian society at large. Well it is that and much more, but it tries putting it in a light hearted manner. It tells the tale of a selfie crazy migrant worker who goes around taking pictures of himself against the backdrop of the landscape around the country.

As he introduced himself, he made a blooper (or was it is on intention, I wondered!). He introduced himself as Ziaur Rahman from Bangla... er, Myanmar. What kind of person would forget his country of origin. Then it clicked. Ziaur is a Rohinya from Arakhine State whose people are is in great turmoil as we speak.

A bit of history on the origins of the Rohinyas. They occupy the Western part of Burma neighbouring Bengal and they were recruited by the British to fight the Japanese in World War 2. The rest of Burma, (as Myanmar was known then) were with the Japanese fighting the British-led Indian Army. This demarcation continued as their allegiance to their Motherland was always questioned due to their religious belief and their ignorance(?refusal) in Myanmarese language. With lack of economic opportunities, poverty and the religious insurgence as many jihadists flock that area to sacrifice in the name of religion, this rich area has become something akin to war zone. Humanity has died, Savagery is the order of the day as carnage and human sacrifice spreads like wild fire.

Refugees who manage to escape persecution land in the hands of human traffickers. Like commodities, they change hand and finally land in Malaysia. Also amongst these refugees are many who had borrowed from moneylenders hoping for a good life in Malaysia just to realise that they had been taken for a ride.

Together, these economic migrants, play a cat-and-mouse game with the authorities and gets played out by errand employers of their hard-earned salaries. As Malaysia is not a signatory of UN convention on Refugees, the migrant workers cannot move freely as legal refugees, They all live under the radar, unseen, unheard but still play an important role to do the duties deemed too dirty, degrading and dangerous for an average Malaysian.

This documentary tells of Ziaur's struggles making ends meet, his quest to solicit donation for his cataract surgery, his activism work which involves writing to dignitaries the world over on the helpless state of Rohinyas in Myanmar and outside as well as indulging in his favourite pastime, taking selfie and being active in social media. The highlight of the film is when he attends PM Najib's Hari Raya open house in Putrajaya to take a selfie with him. To top the icing on his cake, he also took a selfie with the police officer on duty at that occasion. He thought it was ironic considering the number of times he and his friends were harassed by the them for bribes. In the spirit of festivities, everybody had their guard down and nobody was stressing anybody out!

Till date, Rohinyas remain unwanted. Their birth country is refusing them. Their neighbours do not want them. Countries and organisations like OIC who are vocal about their sufferings under the umbrella of the common religion look the other way when it comes to the crux of the matter.

The blurring of who is right and who is wrong cannot be overstated. Brutality from all involved parties is obvious. The disturbances have gone on for so long that none of combating sides (the Rohinyas, the Myanmarese military or the militant Buddhist monks) remember who drew first blood. Situation becomes worse when jihadists with the same ideologies as ISIS and Al-Queda rear their ugly heads in the mayhem.

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Everyone has his story

The Rice Mother (2004)
Author: Rani Manicka

History is written by victors said Walter Benjamin. History is a set of lies that people have agreed upon according to Napoleon Bonaparte. History will be kind to me as I intend to write it, asserted Winston Churchill. These statements just show us how the real narration, the truth can and will be manipulated by the people in power to set forth their personal agendas.

Of late, in Malaysia, there is a concerted effort to erase the contributions of particular communities in the development of the country. History is altered and churned out as they like as if it is a fictional writing to bring out a happy ending that suits the flavour of the month. Like the Ministry of Truth in Orwell's 1984, they churn out lies after lies to suit their game plan. They know well that one who controls the past controls the future and he who controls the present controls the past.
Talk to any Malaysian family. They all have a tale to tell about the predicaments that their forefathers had to endure to protect their piece of space which they called home. They have stories of pain, tears, sweat, blood, heartaches, deaths and disappointments as they toiled the sun to see their produce. Learn how they forwent happiness and comfort to chase invaders from the land they looked up as home, not purely as the piece of land where they would squander its wealth to syphon off to lands far away. Stories like 'Rice Mother' are far too many but remain closed in the eternal vault of their family bygones and hidden in memory banks as kindred treasures.

The novel narrates the tale of a young girl who was plucked from the tranquil land of Ceylon to be married off to a wealthy man from Malaya in the 1930s. Only after reaching Malaya did she realise that the whole arrangement was a facade. There was no rich husband and life was far from perfect. Being a subservient wife, in keeping with the times, she carried on. Life was never a bed of roses. The unhappy marriage did produce a succession of heirs. The seeming quiet country went through some tumultuous times, fighting foreign invaders and surviving the world war.

The book goes on to tell the life and times of Lakshmi, the protagonist, who later metamorphosed into a fierce matriarch; the husband and his meek ways of handling adversities; their children and their escapades and idiosyncrasies all though to Lakshmi's grandchildren as the country, Malaysia, transforms to meet the challenges of the new world.

N.B. Rice Mother refers to the scarecrow who stands steadfast unflinching against the elements of Nature to safeguard the dependent she is assigned to care. In the same vein, the matriarchal figure in the story stands firm to be a pillar to the family to ensure that everyone in the family, the father and the children, come ashore the journey of life safe and sound. The Rice Mother, slowly but surely, in the background, looks like hawk, stinges like an ant and brings the gifts like Santa Claus when the time is ripe or it demands!http://asok22.wix.com/rifle-range-boy
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The serene sceneries around 1930s JB

http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2017/09/06/rare-clip-of-johor-in-the-1930s-going-viral/

Wednesday, 6 September 2017Rare clip of Johor in the 1930s going viral JOHOR BARU: Johor’s rich history is being rekindled, thanks to an age-old video clip going viral over social media.The eight-minute clip, believed to have been made some 80 years ago, was part of a travel documentary series titled Fitzpatrick Travel­talks. It was shown to American and British audiences by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc, a US media company founded in 1924.Called Singapore and Jahore, the clip begins with footage of the Singapore port before showing the Causeway, which was completed in 1923, and scenes of Johor Baru.image: http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation...A screengrab from the video clip. One scene shows Sungai Segget with a small boat along its banks, with the Johor Baru High Court building and Masjid Sultan Abu Bakar visible.The clip also shows two of Johor’s past rulers – Almarhum Sultan Ismail Ibni Almarhum Sultan Ibrahim, the then Tunku Mahkota Johor, who was driving a vintage car before greeting the show’s host just outside Istana Besar. The host is then seen meeting Johor’s second Ruler Almarhum Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Abu Bakar together with the Johor Military Force.The clip was uploaded by Persatuan Bangsa Johor on its Facebook page where it received more than 8,000 views.Local historian Kamdi Kamil urged the people, mainly the younger generation, to view the clip to learn about the state’s rich history.“To have such a major international production company depicting Johor Baru proves that the city was already well-known to foreigners back in the early days,” he added.

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All lives matter?

*Terms and conditions apply!The newest battle cry screams 'Black Lives Matter'. Of course, it is the only politically correct thing to say, that all lives are precious, irrespective of race, colour and class.

Nice on paper, nice to hear but not in practice. It is an undeniable fact that some lives matter more than others. Rather than thinking that race, colour and creed are determining factors on who should live and who should just bite the bullet and disappear, I would like to think that money is the common denominator that saves everybody's skin in the end.

In this time and age, the dictum 'Health is Wealth' no longer holds water. It should be rewritten as ' Wealth assures good Health'. As the cost of medical services snowballs by leaps and bounds, governments and health providers are running to cut cost. Even though the world has the technological know-how or at least have access to some experimental techniques to treat some potentially fatal illnesses, the cost may be a limiting factor. How many times have we heard of doors to expensive modalities of treatment being shut for non-affordability? With the wave of stacks of the greenback, even cadavers would open their gap to volunteer organ donation! True, entitlement to basic health care is a human right. That is how it is going to be for the (m)asses, basic with bare necessity. Looking at the way medical services have evolved over the years, it appears like it is only affordable to the demigods. The rest of the mortals can only live their lives on a prayer or just go to hell.


Even God could not help you if you walked on the wild side to cross the wrong aspect of the law, especially if you are born or happen to live on the wrong side of town. How quickly a false arrest, misunderstanding or just being in the wrong place wrong time can develop into something unbailable. Legal representation for the barrel scraper is at the liberty of the unskilled novice defender of justice. With affluence, with the best representation that money can buy, Lady Justice would gladly tilt the scales in your favour. Echoes of wrongful arrests, technicalities, loss of cold chain, incompetencies of the force may be heard loud and clear.

It is 'Animal Farm' all over again where some animals are 'more equal' than others. Some lives matter more than others.http://asok22.wix.com/rifle-range-boy
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