Memoires of a Bipolar Caretaker

I begin by saying that no one is born strong or amazing, until being strong is the only option you have.

Living with a bipolar is a bit like Standing on a Surfboard and trying to keep your balance each time the wave hits your board.

Try surfing and standing on the surf board for awhile to know how difficult it is to stay balanced when the wave hits your board. First you scramble your way up, to get onto the board, which already is a massive feat, then you try to get one leg up and then, two legs up, stand on it and lastly dance with the waves.

For over five years now, I have learnt to dance with the waves, which sometimes I don’t foresee coming. I try to keep my balance in the whirlwind of things, though I fall many times over. Yet, I rub off the pain and I pick up the courage to stand up again. And that has been on repeat mode, year after year.

Thankfully, we are a team of four people. As when she crashes, the whole house crumbles with her, and each one would be have to play their role accordingly.

In Malaysia, mental health is very much a taboo subject, not spoken of or very little. Often hidden and mistaken by some “Buatan Orang Disease”. The fact is, Bipolar is a problem of chemical balance in the brain – where the patient is either feeling Low and Depressed, or Happy and Manic on the other end of the spectrum. There are two types of Bipolar, Type 1, and Type 2 . So, who usually suffers from Bipolar? Highly creative people and highly intelligent people where the brain waves move at double, triple the average norm. Neurochemistry is an interesting chapter, but basically bipolar is a health condition that needs to be treated by a certified Psychiatrist, a Psychologist and a Counsellor at a proper hospital. It takes an entire team to diagnose a patient, as it is a life threatening sickness, that sometimes lead to violence, depending on the level of severity.

Unfortunately in Malaysia, only some public hospitals are equipped to take in Psychiatric patients. The wards are jail-like, locked, and tightly guarded. The most sombre atmosphere one can ever imagine, where children are not allowed and no companion is allowed to stay in after its very brief visiting hours. Visitors are limited, and will be chased out when exceeded.

No matter how much money you have in your bank account – you will still have to go to a public hospital to get treated for bipolar. I used to sleep by the roadside of a public hospital, with my sweater on, while we wait for the Specialist to arrive. They usually take three hours to show up after the first call, and only one parent is allowed to accompany the patient. My default location was the roadside. That beam you see in the picture would be my headrest at midnight for me to take a little slumber, while I wait for my phone to ring if there were any updates from within. The seats at the waiting area is full, the floor is also packed with “marhaen” camping, regardless of time and day. Humbling experience that was part of my journey as a Bipolar Caretaker.

The journey is meandering, undulating, and the anecdotes are plenty, some of which will remain enclosed in our secret garden. The aim is not to divulge all incidents, as not all episodes are pretty. The aim is to educate and prepare those who might be in a similar situation, but are too afraid to get out of the closet or are still in denial. It could cost you a life, or several lives. When untreated, they hurt themselves, and/or others.

Many are afraid, some are even ashamed or simply choose to remain blissfully oblivious. Having bipolar, which usually begins with depression can be treated. Although, there are a lot of trial and errors in the medications prescribed – there is still light at the end of the tunnel. The episodes might be frightening as the body adjusts to psychiatric medications, often not compatible initially. The side effects are nasty, with patients packing on a minimum of 30kgs. But these are the consequences of such pills.

THE ROLE OF THE CARETAKER

As caretaker, you will need to equip yourself with tonnes of patience and nerves of steel. Not just the average tonne, but many truckloads, busloads, boatloads of patience. Your mental strength has got to be extraordinarily robust. There is not much room to sob, cry or indulge in sissy sadness. Things just evolve very quickly, sometimes without much time to compute. You’ve got to always be three steps ahead of the game.

In the early days, I once rode on 5 ambulances in less than 24 hours covering 3 hospitals in the Klang Valley. Since then, I know what it’s like to want to reach the hospital as fast as possible. I know what it’s like to see the horizon of death not too far away. I know what it is like to live a nightmare.

A bipolar caretaker’s lens of life is bent in many ways. They are forced to expect the unexpected and drop the bar of expectations to the ground. They build their inner strength through bouts of panic, hopelessness and terror. And then they freeze it all inside, to conceal it from the outside world.

For those who are watching from a distance, they think we are strong.

Memoires of a Bipolar caretaker

Coming soon

The World is in Crisis Monsieur le President, not just Islam.

Catastrophic 2020 debuted first with Covid-19, a biological war, stemming from some lab, somewhere in this world, in order to weaken economies and reduce world population. To some extent, they have succeeded – whoever they are! And the War is still ongoing, with the death tally hitting 7 figures.

We are all on leg cuffs right now, aren’t we? Comfortably locked down in our homes, some with jobs, some without. Economies are failing and falling, hospitals beds are chock-a-bloc, front liners are having sleepless nights, streets are empty and malls look more like Ghost towns more than anything else.

Businesses are collapsing. Too many have been forced to cut losses and close their shops to prevent further damage. This is worse than the Great Depression. The poor will be hit the hardest and the middle class earners will fall into the lower category due to a higher cost of living and inflation rates.

But it seems like the burden of Covid is not enough. We need a bigger crisis, perhaps because being locked down at home has made us all lose our senses. We are probably bored out of our skulls, more than ever before.

Recently, a young Chechen in France, took in nine bullets in his body for beheading his French teacher who used a Caricature from Charlie Hebdo depicting Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), as a reference for Freedom of Expression. That led to a speech from the President of the Republic who said that Islam is in Crisis all over the world, and that he does not condone Terrorism. He added that France will uphold their “Freedom of Expression”, as written in their Constitution. (Freedom of speech is considered an “essential freedom” in France.  It is protected by the 1789 Declaration of Human and Civic Rights, which is incorporated by reference into the French Constitution.  It is also protected by the European Convention on Human Rights, to which France is a party. )

And then, soon after this, Fireworks broke all over the world, starting with the Euphoria of Boycotting French Products, ending with Erdogan wanting to emerge as a Hero for Muslims at large. His words, and I quote verbatim, Macron needs mental treatment, is not becoming of a Muslim. I watched this World Gone Mad, from one end to another. I cannot label it further than World Politics and Propaganda going berserk.

Nothing to do with Islam, if you ask any political analyst. But you have to be able to see further than your nose to understand this. Bottom line is, Erdogan’s statement is outright :

Uncouth, unpolished, total lack of Elegance. Turkey definitely does not deserve to be in the EU. Padan Muka.

MAULIDUR RASUL

Today, it is His birthday we are celebrating, and we are supposed to reflect on what he has done for us, try and mimic all his noble acts and behaviours, and show good character. As a Muslim, Good Character is of the Utmost Importance. I cannot reiterate more.

Instead, some of us, have gone hysteric by showing bad attitude, screaming like a lunatic, forwarding nasty pictures and hate speeches, posters and so on and so forth. Sorry, I am not game to this at all.

I don’t recall these sort of Teachings in Islam. I don’t recall the Beloved Prophet (PBUH), having bad character or lashing back like a Lunatic on the Loose whenever he is attacked or verbally abused. Prove me wrong, if I am wrong.

I would like to be corrected.

Zakir Naik for one, is so good at this that I now I understand why he is being blocked from entering certain countries. His slanders are cringeworthy. He is indeed, another Muslim I do not want to associate with, beside Erdogan the Snob.

I am not here to defend Macron, or what he has said. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, depending on your values, religion and beliefs. From what I understand, he is an ex Rothchild Banker, probably a Jew. It is always important to understand the Background of a Person, before condemning their choice of words. That’s how it is.

Their Freedom of Expression or Speech is their right and culture they have been used to all their lives. Whatever is being taught is class, whether good or bad, is their choice. How they eat or shit, is their business, too.

Someone has already taken in NINE BULLETS. Is that not already enough? I don’t get it. I really don’t.

Our choice is to ensure that we, Muslims, must reflect “Peace” as the religion demands. Right now, it’s not Peace we are up holding. It’s Anger, it’s Hatred. It is everything against Good Akhlak.

We, Muslims, don’t have to be Barbaric in our way of dealing with a Non-Muslim. These Non-Muslims don’t know our Prophet (may peace be upon him), as it is not part of their readings.

They rely upon the existing Muslims to understand what Islam is all about. If our Akhlak/Character is akin to the speech of Erdogan, do you think that would bring the Kafiruns closer or further away?

It is His (PBUH) Birthday today. Please show some GOOD AKHLAK.

You can also, of course, Agree to Disagree, as there is no compulsion in Islam.

p/s : If you are on Netflix, may I suggest you watch, “They are everywhere”, a movie in French. Will certainly give you a good background of the Jews in France.

#macron #erdogan #propaganda #worldpolitics #freedomofspeech

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Story of Trust

A week ago, I wrongly trusted. Result of which, I fell and fractured my arm.

It was an expensive lesson learnt.

Sometimes, we trust blindly, thinking that “they” would know better.

Indeed, it is a big mistake to Trust Blindly.

Trust is now broken. Unfortunately, to regain it is almost impossible.

Similarly, one shall no longer trust blindly and “HOPE” that everything will be fine.

Nope. It does not work that way.

Xray Room. For spine and forearm

Get used to the New Norm!

For once, the birds were the only ones free to fly around wherever they want, not subjected to Road blocks, the Movement Control Order. I am jealous that the birds are not under house arrest. Lockdown, for a better word.

Whilst hundreds of millions of us, across the world are breathing the same air, for at least 18 days now, ranting of absolute boredom, and wanting the same thing – go OUT.

The almost stale air is getting into my system. The outdoor Junkie is going literally bonkers. I am beginning to get restless, bored and tired of doing almost nothing or on repeat. I miss the stables, the horses, the sweating, the sun that burns my skin, the perspiration that came with all that cardio work.

The car hasn’t moved too, since – and petrol tank remains at a quarter.

Now, the best external view I get is through my balcony. I get some breeze, a different smell of air, a snapshot of parked cars in front of the neighbourhood, and a little further away in the horizon, I see a glimpse of greenery, from a mountainside, far, far away.

Some change from the dining table, kitchen, lounge and TV screen. Yawn!

Dear God,

Why is this happening? I ask myself quietly. Clearing the head from a lot of sadness, of being locked and helpless. I quickly shift thoughts towards counting my blessings. At least, I am not on a hospital bed, gasping for air or on a ventilating machine. Lest we forget.

The tasks at home are almost complete. The bi-weekly cleaner has been absent for a while now. Nonetheless, the world continues to spin and life must go on. There was spring cleaning, laundry, cooking, clearing unneeded items, exercising, reading, filing and the whole lot of other works on the list. It’s all done now.

What’s next?

The car needs a wash, but since it isn’t going out, why bother.

Bored, several times in a day, I forget which day we are in anymore, as the weekdays and weekends are akin. Yet, there are still so many more weeks to endure this same feeling. I no longer go up the weighing scale. There is no need for surprises, during these challenging times, where others are running up and down the stairs, or running on the spot, or yoga-ing, or skipping like an idiot on the loose.

At best, I row for a good 40 minutes, burn 450 cals, and I think that’s enough.

Wake up for almost no purpose now. The stream of messages on the phone is beginning to be an annoyance. Facebook feeds are almost devoid of political banters ( which is good ), and replaced by all the food pictures, bread pictures and desserts. After a while, it becomes tasteless.

Covid-19, damn you, has killed many, are still killing and will continue to kill. The stats doesn’t interest me anymore. As long as it doesn’t hit a family member, let’s admit it – who really cares. It seems I am helping by staying home and breaking the chain. Ok, if that helps, then, I am staying in, no matter how boredom is tearing me apart.

More importantly,

We only care to know, when the MCO will be lifted. We only care to know when life will go back to being what it was before. We only care to know if it will, ever go back to normal.

Whether the Ramadhan Bazaar is on or off, whether there will be Congregational Prayers in three weeks from now, whether Syawal will be celebrated or distilled. That’s what we want to know.

Like it or not, a lot of things will change. So get used to it.

Economists have written in length and in depth that normal will change. Normal will have a make over look, you won’t even recognise it anymore. You can practically kiss Normal goodbye now.

Get used to the New Normal.

It is still in gestational mode. Being shaped, being coloured and characterized.

But be prepared, nevertheless. It will get ugly, painful and horrid.

We have two choices now. Resist change and fail. Or adapt and move on.

Whatever your choice is, you cannot be running in circles and think that things will be back to what it was before. It won’t and will never be. It’s the passe.

Businesses have started to close down, slowly. Employees have lost their jobs. Retail purchases are stagnating. Household debts will mount. Properties will overhang further. No one is travelling. Planes have cleared the skies. Hotels are closing down. Petrol pumps are also folding.

Only delivery is on the rise.

How do I know this? I know this because the money I withdrew three weeks ago at the ATM hasn’t seen the sunlight. For every Ringgit that is saved, I know someone is not getting paid. I know someone has lost her or her revenue. So what if I have saved a lot, if it doesn’t help the Economy. E-commerce is not my thing, but gradually, it will shift, when choice become choice-less.

Right now, everyone is hit. You are delusional, if you think otherwise.

The World is Standing Still, but we are Restless. Restless as hell, as we have been thrusted into this new world out of our Comfort Zone, where boundaries are set, and boredom reigns. Restless in the Unknown and restless staying in the Dark Hours, today and everyday, without knowing the when the end will come.

For an outdoor junkie like me, everyday is a nightmare. But like everything else, nothing is permanent and I believer this too shall pass. Like every other Muslim, we believe Allah is there to turn to. In God, we trust. And together, we shall fight Covid till the end.

 

 

The Unwanted Guest : Covid-19 and its side effects.

Why is it so difficult to understand the phrase : STAY AT HOME

Undoubtedly, whether we were ready or not, whether we took it too easy on not, Covid-19 is here to change our lives in more than one way.
Just suddenly, we are all subjects of house arrest for a month (at present), the mosques are empty, food supplies are scarce, people are hoarding due to panic buying, exercise is no longer under the sun, the wheels under the porch have not moved, and for the lucky ones, it’s about adjusting to working from home.
Students from abroad have been rushed back, not knowing if they will ever graduate this year, or studies will be OFFLINE, once again.
It is public knowledge that, thousands were rendered jobless overnight. Malaysians and non. Thousands more have gone out to ensure the Control Movement Order is abided by. That includes the Armed Forces and Policemen who are ensuring that roadblocks, come rain or shine are there for fellow Malaysians to comprehend that they have to stay home. That the virus is airborne, and that the only means to Flatten the Curve is, by Staying Home.
Yet, the Mont Kiara residents have been reported to take it lightly, and seen to be “Jogging” as though they are Covid19-proof after a week of Semi-Lockdown! Absolutely despicable attitude, from the so- called educated and cultured, the rich and affluent community.
Perhaps, it went passed them that the hospitals are busy with men and women in Hazmat Suits. The doctors are nurses are beyond exhaustion. The machines are insufficient, the testing kits are somewhat exorbitant in the private hospitals, and the ICUs are packed with very, very sick people gasping for air.
In the economic front, the bankers are working tirelessly behind the scenes on loan relief for their customers, with most of them hoping that the Government will impose a full lockdown – so that they can just breathe a little more. Bet you forgot this lot.
The heroes at the grocery store, the cashiers who are scanning the bar codes like never before, the workers who are replenishing the stock on shelves, the guards who are making sure the social distancing is abided by – they are all equally tired but they have not failed to serve the nation at this PEAK PERIOD.
They too, need a break.
Meanwhile, the hotels, parks, shopping malls and airports have transformed into a ghost town – causing a serious problem in the domestic demand and supply. Let’s not even talk about liquidity issues and how the bonds have become JUNK. At the Bourse, the Bear is Snoring so loud, the Jungle can hear it.
The retail businesses are on a standstill, SMEs owners are crying buckets not knowing how to pay staff salaries and feed their own families. Savings are depleting.
And freelancers have been told that there are no more jobs in queue.
That is to sum up that everyone in this country is AFFECTED. Just EVERYONE. That’s the reality of today.
For many Malaysians, the Virus has united Malaysians of all skin colours and backgrounds, blurring the racial sentiments and religious lines along the way. Political polemics are taking a step back. In fact, there is no room for political banters. In every corner of the country, everyone is praying to their respective Gods. And Najib’s posting is starting to make sense, as he skips the Mockery and jabbing pleasantries that were often overboard.
Unfortunately, some quarters who are seemingly unaffected by this pandemic that is taking the world by storm, are still demonstrating their hatred towards certain race, certain political parties.
And this, is stupidly sad.
Referring to the racist FB post that read and shared by many Ultra Malays :
Some 90% of Malays are on the Frontline, saving the country from Covid – the Doctors, Nurses, Janitors, Policemen, Army. I say, so what?
I say so what, not because I am not acknowledging the fact that most of them are Malays. Instead, I say so what, because this is not the time to play Racial Politics. Not the time to put statistics to the number of Malays, Chinese or Indians who are battling with lives of ALL MALAYSIANS.
Right now, we should be united Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or belief.
The numbers of victims are rising, and so is the number of deaths. The retired nurses have come back to work. Volunteers are coming in to clean and sanitize the hospitals. Stimulus packages and monies are put into the Rakyat’s hand. Food supplies are ensured. Bank loans are on a moratorium for the next six months, costing the Banks, billions of Ringgit.
EVERYONE IS AFFECTED.
The Chinese Billionaires and Millionaires have come forward to donate in droves.
What about the Super Rich UMNO Lords in the list of donors, that The Edge ran for Covid19? How come I don’t see their names in the donation drive? How come there are too many Chinese names and Chinese companies. That’s pure racism for those who reflect!
I’ll stop here, because really, this is not the time to pinpoint on who did what, and what was supposed to be done. The blaming game has to intelligently stop, because each day, more people are dying. Tabligh or not.
Each day, every single Aunty and Uncle are passing the virus to one another.
The Virus is not Racist and it is not Xenophobic. And even if you are not positive, you can still be a carrier of the deadly virus. Now we are hearing 12 day old baby being infected, 2 year old toddler being infected and the 4 year old child being picked up by the Ambulance at home. It breaks my heart to thousand pieces, because I am human and selfless.
To those who still want to run and jog, because they are too selfish to think about the others, I hope you contract it soonest and the beds will be too full to take you in for treatment. You deserve it.
The Malaysia today, is no longer divided into race or religion. But it is divided into The Caring and The Selfish. Chose to care and deflect from being Selfish.
Because Malaysia is HOME for all of us. So, please. Just stay HOME.

Written by:
Sairana Mohd. Saad
27March2020

Why is there no “Hibiscus Revolution” in Malaysia?

 

Some of us wished there were enough “Malay Pendekars” who would burn down buildings, go rioting like the other hot-blooded countries with swords and makeshift riot weapons, for the world to witness and be the nucleus of attention until some drastic changes happen.

I imagine how Al Jazeera’s correspondent would be the first to document the rioting, followed by BBC and then CNN who would put it on a loop every 45 minutes. Malaysia, would then be famous, once again, for the wrong reasons. Another story for the world to write about, apart from 1MDB, Najib’s Kleptocratic Regime and Finding Jho Low.

“The Quick Formation of a Back-Door Government – Lessons Learnt from Malaysia” – would be across Smart Screen Televisions across the globe, and soon on Harvard Business Review.

But that did not happen in Malaysia. Nothing happened in Malaysia. It was Business As Usual.

The next morning, for breakfast, everyone was with their to-go nasi lemak and kopi tarik, the day the Prime Minister resigned, the day the ruling Government collapsed. Journalists were camping at the Palace, scrambling for scoop, while we all stayed glued to our small screens on our palms for further news and developments. The political situation was heading south.

At that moment, it had all struck us that the concerted effort to change how Malaysia had been governed for 60 years is now gone. All the Euphoria of 9^th of May 2018 had vanished suddenly, and sadly, we don’t think it will ever come back. The thought of being robbed again was haunting our minds.

Nobody saw it coming – the same way nobody fathomed UMNO was going to lose in GE14.

Waking up to reality, fact remains that the UMNO boys are back. More precisely, the Zahid boys. Fact remains that we are all shocked that Democracy in Malaysia, had a Massive Heart Attack and Died almost immediately.

Fact remains that some of us are still mourning the Death of Democracy.

Because in Malaysia, demonstrations are unheard of. Today, demonstrations would be attended by 50 people maximum. Gone are the days, when the Pendekars would be out in the fields Shouting Reformasi, getting hit by water cannons, and bruised by batons from the FRUs. In today’s Digital World, we would rather pay Grab Pendekars, if we could – but we wouldn’t be doing it ourselves, because there is just too much at stake.

So, some of us end up just “Sharing” videos of the demonstrations on their Facebook pages, as part of our role in giving back to the nation. And that’s only if the Company you work for doesn’t prevent you from posting any political “stories” or innuendoes.

While there is absolutely no comparison to the Arab Spring/Jasmine Revolution, or to the Hong Kong Protests or Delhi Riots, many foreigners have quipped that if the same would have happened in their country, there would have been bloodshed, limbs chopped off, and hospitals beds in the hallways.

But we Malaysians, have proven yet again, that we are indeed the Calmest, Coolest and most Composed set of People in the Whole Wide World. Even when there was no Government for a week, and Covid-19 was shopping for new victims, the country didn’t look like it was in any sort of crises at all. In fact, the Federal Reserve Unit wasn’t even deployed. To that extent, the country is safe.

Economically, we suffered. The KLCI plummeted, we lost 43 billion in a wink of an eye. But that did not bother too many people.

Otherwise, everyone was treating the “No Government Week” as just another ordinary week, bickering away with their friends over coffee on who is to be blamed for the collapse of Pakatan Harapan, comparing notes about what really happened during Langkah Sheraton, who is the real traitor, and who did what to whom – with many self-proclaimed political analysts emerging during the week of Langkah Sheraton.

Malaysians were busy Forwarding, and Sharing. And that was it. Purely Digital.

In conclusion, there are Malaysians who write. And there are Malaysians who bicker and rant all day long, but do nothing.

And then there are Malaysians who keep quiet, observe and read everything that is written but still say nothing. They are too afraid.

And then we have the largest set of Malaysians, the ones in the category of Keyboard Warriors, the ardent followers of Bossku, the largest base who scream the loudest and make the biggest impact.

By sheer numbers.

But in the end, it is the numbers that matter. With the SDs, it was the numbers that matter too. Soon, it will be the numbers at the Ballot Boxes that will matter.

I said soon, but if any change was to happen, it will likely to be in a couple of years.

Not now. Not in two months.

 

 

 

PASUMNO at the hilt of hypocrisy

There are many games in politics, that display and convince that it is always about The People they serve. That’s an open secret. The actors usually know the rules of the game and would usually not Foul Out too easily, in order to survive longer in their political game.

But who would have guessed that the United Dignified PASUMNO breed, mostly the Malay Muslim group listed here under would have disgraced themselves so openly, without weighing the consequences?

Surely, there is a limit to hypocrisy, selfishness and greed, one would have thought. But NO – what we saw yesterday is a great example of what PASUMNO is made of.

28 Opposition MPs gang banged against the welfare aid for the needy – the sick, the old and the unfortunate. Read here.

https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2019/11/28/dont-politicise-budget-for-the-needy-says-yeoh/

Let’s dive deeper into the names of these heartless people, who, just two weeks ago went into many homes of Tg Piai to take blood pressure and perhaps check the glucose levels of some elderly people to “show their concern”. And so, they won the hearts and minds of the Tg Piai folks with such an admirable gig.

How sincere was all that award-winning theatrical play, cleverly choreographed by the Wee Ka Siong and the Ahmad Maslan’s of the world? The poor Makciks and Pakciks didn’t know it was all just a political trick. What a shame.

Ok, so we got some corrupted people in the list. Granted. Some who held RM500,000 cash at home, for God knows what reason. Amongst them, we also have some who studied in Egypt, in Islamic Studies and such. Oh my.

 

1) Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff (Rantau Panjang – 𝐏𝐀𝐒)
2) Wan Hassan Mohd Rami (Dungun – 𝐏𝐀𝐒)
3) Ahmad Tarmizi Sulaiman (Sik – 𝐏𝐀𝐒)
4) Wee Ka Siong (Ayer Hitam – 𝐌𝐂𝐀)
5) M Saravanan (Tapah – 𝐌𝐈𝐂)
6) Mahdzir Khalid (Padang Terap – 𝐔𝐌𝐍𝐎)
7) Annuar Musa (Ketereh – 𝐔𝐌𝐍𝐎)
8) Reezal Merican Naina Merican (Kepala Batas – 𝐔𝐌𝐍𝐎)
9) Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub (Machang – 𝐔𝐌𝐍𝐎)
10) Ahmad Hamzah (Jasin – 𝐔𝐌𝐍𝐎)
11) Halimah Mohamed Sadique (Kota Tinggi – 𝐔𝐌𝐍𝐎)
12) Nizar Zakaria (Parit – 𝐔𝐌𝐍𝐎)
13) Mohd Salim Sharif (Jempol – 𝐔𝐌𝐍𝐎)
14) Mastura Mohd Yazid (Kuala Kangsar – 𝐔𝐌𝐍𝐎)
15) Ismail Sabri Yaakob (Bera – 𝐔𝐌𝐍𝐎)
16) Noh Omar (Tanjong Karang – 𝐔𝐌𝐍𝐎)
17) Noraini Ahmad (Parit Sulong – 𝐔𝐌𝐍𝐎)
18) Shamsul Anuar Nasarah (Lengong – 𝐔𝐌𝐍𝐎)
19) Ismail Mohamed Said (Kuala Krau – 𝐔𝐌𝐍𝐎)
20) Ahmad Maslan (Pontian – 𝐔𝐌𝐍𝐎)
21) Abdul Rahman Mohamad (Lipis – 𝐔𝐌𝐍𝐎)
22) Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim (Baling – 𝐔𝐌𝐍𝐎)
23) Hasbullah Osman (Gerik – 𝐔𝐌𝐍𝐎)
24) Ahmad Nazlan Idris (Jerantut – 𝐔𝐌𝐍𝐎)
25) Jalaluddin Alias (Jelebu – 𝐔𝐌𝐍𝐎)
26) Adham Baba (Tenggara – 𝐔𝐌𝐍𝐎)
27) Mohd Shahar Abdullah (Paya Besar – 𝐔𝐌𝐍𝐎)
28) Ramli Mohd Nor (Cameron Highlands – 𝐔𝐌𝐍𝐎)

And we also have, behind those pretty veils and white headgears (to prove their piety and closeness to God) some, who had no qualms of saying no to helping the needy.

So what happened there? Did they not understand what Fardhu Kifayah is all about, or did their personal agenda take over all reasonings beyond belief? Strange that their friends from the Religious Party PAS, have failed to remind them of their religious obligations accordingly.

In fact, three of them from PAS, the so-called Islamic Party also voted against the bill.

If the United Dignified Malays do not see the value in helping the sick and the poor in their own constituencies, then they should go back and explain to their voters why they don’t think it’s a good idea to help the unfortunate.

What’s the real objective behind this plot?

You have got to ask The Ahmad Maslan, with the 3.85 CGPA score to find out his rationale.

Perhaps, he has never lived with a sick child or a sick parent to know what the expenses are like – when it involves special milk, diapers, and frequent trips to the hospital. Never mind the emotional strain.

Perhaps he is too smart to know that when a child is sick, one parent has to stop work to care for the child – that would mean halving the household income and tightening the belt. Never mind not knowing how to make ends meet.

Perhaps he is too busy campaigning that the nasi lemaks have lulled his brain him to realise that there are children in the remote areas, out of KL, who cannot undergo their cancer treatment in HUKM, because their parents simply cannot afford the transport cost alone. Never mind that their lives are cheap and they eventually die under twelve months.

When one is too busy debating in the August house of Parliament, day in and day out,  and one’s tummy is too full to be concerned with other people’s problems and welfare – selfishness and greed will be the order of the day, everyday.

Ok, you’ve won Tg Piai by 15,000 votes. You’ve won the right to gloat by conquering the protest vote, they say. And just like that, it has gotten to your head already?

And what will happen if The People voted for your again?

I dread to think.

 

Written by :

Sairana Mohd. Saad

29 November 2019

 

 

 

Silent Malays, Where ART THOU?

 

Whilst many Malay Muslims in this Era are reviving the “Sunnah” by taking up the art of Shooting the Arrow using a Bow (Archery), as a competitive sport and recreational activity, at the same time, many “Pendekars” have upped their ante several notches, in Modern Martial Arts to combat the New World Order.

 

These “Pendekars” with their “Tanjaks” are rallying behind the Boss with a common goal, and that is to undermine all efforts made by the current government. Belittle. Undermine. Repeat.

It is not called Star Wars, but Cyberwar, where the Bows and Arrows are inexistent, only keyboards and fake Facebook accounts are used as their everyday ammunition. And it seems to be working well to those who do not reflect.

During the weekend, there was an interesting article, spot on in many areas and should be commented upon. In this piece :

https://www.thestar.com.my/opinion/columnists/its-just-politics/2019/09/21/the-voice-of-progressive-malays

1. The editors said, the current top three hot topics among their community are Zakir Naik, the Umno-PAS unity pact and the economy (the boycott movement).
2. Some of the comments on the OrangKata.my Facebook page are hostile to the point where there are “threats, or that they bring up fiery racial sentiments, or that we are merely agents of a political party or a religious group”.
3. Malaysians were different on social media and real life. “On social media or in the media, I get the sense that there is a religious and racial ticking time bomb in the country. But in reality, the Grab pakcik (uncle) and the nasi lemak makcik (auntie) have no time or inclination for these issues. They want to make a living in a harmonious Malaysia,” I said.

Of course, in the real corridors, there are plenty of Silent Moderate Malays or Progressive Malays whose gabs are zip-locked. Whichever adjective you wish to deploy, it all boils down to the same thing. They are unwilling to talk, or if they are willing to voice their opinion, they do not want it to be recorded in any manner. They choose to be anonymous. They are scared of losing their job. They are scared to be seen as vocal. They do not want to be associated with Opinionated Postings on Facebook. They only want to show you what they eat and some weddings they attended instead. These are considered “SAFE”.

And then let the others fight Goliath.

But these are the Thinkers who did not #BMF, who quietly giggled at the ridiculous PASUMNO union, and who, in real life, have absolutely no issues with other races as the Social Media claims.

The open-minded, educated Urban Malays have chosen to stay safe and remain silent. They just want to eat nasi lemak and go to work quietly.

What you see in the Social Media scene, are those at the bottom of the pyramid (that’s if they really exist). The hound dogs of political parties, who can barely speak nor write in English. The loyalists who refuse to think further than their nose. Those who believe everything they see and then click share without checking accuracy.

All they do is bash and belittle all day long. Worse off, the comments they make are downright rude, uncouth and ill-mannered – which mirrors their background, level of education and political inclination.

Due to their lack of credible facts and content, they tend to recycle lame comebacks in all the pages that are in support of the government – in hope to break the spirit of good fellow Malaysians and escalate unrest amongst the netizens.

Fortunately, in every foolishness, there is always goodness. For example, when they came in droves to drive the #BMF campaign and later heralded in their so-called success in reducing prices – not so many of them realised that the prices of goods could be brought down, because prices are actually determined by retailers, not so much the taxes. Only a few of them noticed that the prices have been in fact, manipulated by greedy retailers who took advantage of the taxation structure to raise prices. And yet, they continue to cheerlead #BMF and claimed their fame.

Tun said in his controversial Malay Dilemma book, and I quote.

“I’m brash and abrasive but that’s because I’ve noticed when people are nice and polite, they never get anywhere.”

 

Being brash is alright if you are bright. But if you are abrasive and dumb, it goes to show that the Cyber War is loaded with Empty Vessels, which make the most noise.

 

I have concluded, a long time ago, that it’s all empty chatter, fuss, and no intellect whatsoever out there.

 

But that’s how the cookie crumbles, for as long as we keep seeing only Wedding Photos and food platters from the Silent Malays who choose to Stay Safe and Stay Quiet.

 

 

Written by :

Sairana Mohd. Saad

23 Sept 2019

 

 

 

The Racial Politics Game that is Najib’s

 

15 AUGUST 2019

By Sairana Mohd. Saad

 

At first thought, it isn’t even worth my time writing on such a trivial matter. Any person with some form of intelligence would have figured it all out. That this racial hodgepodge, fanned by none other than Najib and his 600 cybertroopers, have succeeded to make the Ultra Malays believe that they are actually threatened, their Bumiputera rights are going to vanish in thin air and that Islam is in some way or another, being victimised too.

I still smirk at how shallow some people can be. That’s why Education is Key.

As absurd as it sounds, most Malays are beginning to bite at it like a holy scripture. Most Malays are fixated on the idea that their “rights” are being robbed, that their religion is being side-lined, and that, the Chinese are ruling the country so much that one day Malaysia will be another Singapore. And that’s how the Story Goes.

Thank God I studied Propaganda and Communications during the Gulf War in 1991. Hence, I am blessed that I am not easily fooled by what is written and promoted by Najib’s Cytro pages. I can see their unwritten agendas in between the lines, their political folklores edited by some of the country’s best writers, and games people play through slang, pictures and tonnes of innuendoes to taint the Rakyat’s minds.

 

And with that, the hallucination goes on, the fiction continues, as Najib’s coffers consistently channel wages to his 600 cybertroopers through his Media Moghul. It’s working like clockwork, denting the Ultra Malays perspectives to the point that these stories will eventually be recorded in the history books of our Great Grandchildren.

For as long as their funds thrive, the Cybertroopers who work from various factories to plant negative stories will eventually win the battle. And the losers will be 32billion Malaysians.

Undoubtedly, racial politics have worked in many countries, including Indonesia, that is closer to home. And so, to deflect Malaysians from the stolen 40B USD and historically unseen debt levels and such, Najib’s narrative focuses on Islam and Malay rights (whatever it means) without promising anything to the Rakyat. But yet, most prefer to camp on his side.

Being a third world country, we can still afford to be laughed at. Laughed at our backward thinking that our constitutional rights will be taken away tomorrow, that Khat is a Symbol of Islam that anchors our Faith, and that our major focus today is to extradite Zakir Naik because he made some sordid statement or to reduce the number of work force in the army because they don’t fire their rifles three times a day.

To be honest, all these trivial issues arise, because Malaysia is a peaceful country that is not too shabby economically. Malaysians are too well looked after that we have too much time to Facebook and post pictures of all the wonderful food we eat and share the dumb stories posted and spun by Irresponsible People.

If only we didn’t have proper Electricity and Water supply to homes, and we couldn’t afford to buy a bowl of rice to feed our families, then our focus and attention would be shifted to real issues affecting real lives, wouldn’t it?

And this is why I said, it isn’t worth my time, teaching the Ingrates what we should be grateful for. Because God already said, “Behold, God is indeed limitless in His bounty unto man -but most people are ungrateful”. – Quran 2:243