The Beer-less 7-Eleven?

So, now the local council in Shah Alam is banning the sale of beer in 7-Eleven and other shops, simply because...it is a Malay-majority area?!!

So next time, when you walk into a 7-Eleven that doesn't sell beer, then you know that area is Malay area! Great! Another way to divide the Malaysians! So when are we going to achieve One Malaysia?

Actually this is not really new..in a small town in Parit Raja, Johor, the 7-Eleven there also not selling beer..but it's not because the local council is banning it, but simply because there are no demand for them!.. At lease, the near-by shops are still selling it!

This act of banning the sale of beer in 7-Eleven and other shops definitely infringes the rights of the non-muslims!!! Can you be a bit more considerate and respect the rights of the non-muslims there?!! I'm certainly surprised that this actually happened in a developed state like Selangor?!! I think the "developed" status should be withdrawn! It seems like the people in the Shah Alam local council still do not have the developed mindset..

Please!..Don't infringe the rights of the people!! If it's really so majority, then there will be no demand right? By then, you think 7-Eleven will still stock up beers in this area?

Please, the Pakatan government, and also to the Shah Alam local council! Be sensible, use common sense, we can make this country a better place!

The final days in uni.. rush, rush and rush!

There is only one word to describe the final days of my uni life..RUSH! The rush for the viva, the rush for thesis submission, and the rush to get things packed and prepare for industrial training!..

In my case, it was probably my busiest period of my uni life, and the stakes are so high that, any unexpected incident can derail my graduation. But these final few days didn't happened as I hope for (btw, I never seem to get what I hope for!). I would have like to spend more time, just to look at the scenery and have a drink with the friends in familiar circumstances, before things change for good.

While I can't hold on to time, but I do hope to hold on to the friendships that I made, and also the memories.. those days, are "a point of no return", as Jackie said..

So, thank you all for the help all these years..thanks for being a part of my life.. and as we all move on, I hope we can still keep in touch!

The final week in uni..

It has been almost one month since my last post.. and thinking back, it feels just like few days back.. the past one month has been one of the busiest period in my 4 years in uni.. so busy that I have no time to look into the emotional side of life..and suddenly, I'm starting at the last few days of my uni life.. I'm...mystified, confused, and in a way..don't know how to react to this reality...maybe numb is the word to describe how I feel..

It's incredible how work can really blinded our feelings..making ourselves deaf to the voice in our heart, and caused us to miss other important things in life besides work..

In my heart, I still have a few things that I wanna do.. have some wine with friends, have a meal together, watch football together...just like we used to be... Luckily, the friends around has been doing it, organizing steamboats (which I almost miss it), having meals together, which will surely be a part of my memory..

In what was probably my last exam paper on 30th, I was seated next to Afifee, a friend that, I've known since the 1st week of uni life. He was in the same group under the same academic advisor, and today he still shares the same academic advisor with me. At that moment, I couldn't help but looked back on those days when we, in a group, did all kinds of ice-breaking activities. Looking back, some may looked stupid, but it is these stupid things that, after 4 years, you will still recall.

So..before we chart our own path after this few days, let us, have a great time and enjoy the days together!

Preferential vs Discriminatory

In the book "In Good Faith" by Zaid Ibrahim (the former de facto law minister, who resigned as minister after the detention under ISA of Sin Chew's reporter Tan Hoon Cheng, Teresa Kok and RPK), there are these examples which clearly show the difference between Preferential policies and Discriminatory policies.

Discriminatory Policies

1) 5% discount for Bumiputera or Malay purchaser in a housing scheme is discriminatory

2) The requirement of a 51% equity stake to be held by Bumiputera or Malays in law firm before they are eligible to carry out work for a bank.

3) Requirements that companies must have 51% or 100% shares held by Bumiputera or Malays before they are eligible to bid for government contracts.

4) Only Malays can be promoted or hold certain positions in the civil service.

5) Only consider application for licenses of transport company comprises "X" number of Bumiputera employees or has "Y" per cent of Bumiputera equity.


Preferential Policies

1)Quota for recruitment of Bumiputera into the civil service is permitted under the Federal Constitution. However, if the Malays already make up 85% of the civil service, the present quota becomes untenable and unreasonable.

2) It is permissible, for the purposes of bringing more Malays into the civil service, to have lower admission criteria.

3) If there is a need to increase Bumiputera participation in the transport business, more licenses should be granted to Bumiputera