Farewell 道别

Aeronautical Engineer servicing trucks ?

Peter Lim graduated as an aeronautical engineer, but decided for a earth-bound job. He worked as a service engineer in an established Swedish truck company in Selangor for more than 8 years.

His job required him to fly regularly ... and has brought him to Europe many times, especially Sweden and France.

He has a successful career. However, he is leaving for a greater height down south ...not solely for advancement and reward, but to be nearer to his family. (He is from Kluang, Johor)

I knew him since his student day in University Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).

On Tuesday night, he visited us at home to bid us farewell.

May God bless him good health and joy, and success in his new endeavor.

航空工程维修卡车？

林彼得完成了航空工程学位后，决定找份座地的工作。他进入了在雪兰莪州的一间著名瑞典卡车工厂担任维修工程师，超过八年之久。

他的工作需要他常出国。在这些年里，除了本地，他也多次去过欧洲，特别是瑞典及法国。

他担任高职，可说是已有成就。不过，他已辞去这份工作，在南部觅得一份新的优差。更高待遇及薪酬，不是主要原因，而是他要更靠近家人。（他来自柔佛的居銮）

我在他就读国民大学时，就已认识。星期二晚，他到我家探访，与我们道别。

我祈求天主祝福他健康喜乐，新的工作顺利，更上层楼！

Protest Rally 325 华教救亡大集会

我是华校生。

我住在加影。

我能够参加，因为今天早上已经安排了这段时间为这个项目。

假如我不参加，我就是王八蛋！

我一定要参加『325华教救亡』抗议大会，以表支持，也添加一份（个人）力量。这是一个超越政党及政治的大集合，它关乎华文教育在我国的兴亡，这是表达华社感受及显示团结的一个平台。

遇到了两位外教朋友，“你没去教堂？” 。

“教堂天天可以去，早上可以去，晚上可以去。325不是天天有，早上十一时到十二半，我可以不去教堂，而去抗议大会。我昨晚已经去教堂做礼拜了，完成了我本身教徒的义务”。

董总就在加影天主教堂对面，相隔一条马路而已。有心就可以成就。

消灭华校及淡米尔文学校，是国阵及巫统政府自独立以来，处心积虑要达到的目的。在过去的半个世纪里，政府通过立法，官员的不合作及刁难，使到华文教育面对许多困难。目前最严重的缺少学校及师资。

有幸的，一批勇于献身，敢作牺牲的华教中坚份子，加上华社的坚强意愿，今天，马来西亚是大中华地区以外，华文教育系统最完善的土地。

马来西亚华校董事联合总会（简称“董总”）今天在董总大楼的草场举办了『325华教救亡』抗议大集合，共有大约8000人出席。他们来自全马各州属，不惜长途跋涉，前来参加及支持。

出席的还有各政党的代表，非政府组织，华社团体及商会也派员出席。

副教育部长魏家祥（马华）出乎意料之外的在大会开始前，莅临出席，引起一阵骚动。可怜的阿祥仔，在整个集会中，受到出席者喝倒彩及呼叫，包括集会结束离开时，还得警察的护送，才安全的离开。（我个人观点是，过份的喝倒彩及呼叫，有失礼貌及尊敬，不过因人太多，无法控制）

这是一个和平的集会。警察及警卫团只是管制交通的流动，及重要人物地区的人潮控管而已。

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Deputy Education Minister Wee Ka Siong (center short-sleeve shirt)
副教育部长魏家祥（中穿短袖者）

Being a graduate of Chinese language school and resident of Kajang, I must attend the rally, if not, I would call myself an asshole! After all，the venue is just across my church.

To be there is to show my support and solidarity with the community.

Since independence, the ruling coalition and UMNO government's ultimate aim is to eliminate Chinese and Tamil schools from its education system. For the past half a century, the government through legislation, imposed many unfair laws and regulations and biased implementation to restrict the development of Chinese language education.

The most serious problems facing by the Chinese community are: shortage of Chinese primary schools and teachers.

However, due to dedications and sacrifices of many education activists and strong commitment of Chinese community, the best and most complete Chinese education system outside greater China region is found in Malaysia!

Today, The United Chinese School Committees' Association of Malaysia (Dong Zong) organised a protest rally at its premises in Kajang to highlight grievances and problems faced by Chinese schools for the past many decades.

They demanded the government to take the following 3 measures:

1. Transfer out all teachers who do not speak Mandarin.
2. Allow employment of temporary teaches to ease the shortage of teachers in Chinese primary schools.
3. As a long term solution, train more teachers, from basic level, to solve shortage problem.

About 8000 people from all states in Peninsular Malaysia, including representatives from political parties, associations, NGOs and chambers of commerce, attended this rally which was held from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm.

A small delegation from Tamil Schools Foundation also present at the rally.

The arrival of Deputy Education Minister Wee Ka Siong was a surprise. However, the crowd booed and heckled him throughout the rally. Poor fellow! (I think it has been overdone ... but the crowd is too large to control)

It was a peaceful rally. The police and Rela members were there to control traffic and crowd control around VIPs seating area only.

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No to Malaysia

Indonesia can say NO to Malaysia!

Malaysia (Federation of Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak) was formed in 16-9-1963 with strong opposition from Indonesia. The then President Sukarno declared a policy of CONFRONTATION towards Malaysia with armed infiltration.

In 1966, with the successful coup led by Suharto, he ended the confrontation with signing of a peace agreement and recognition of Malaysia.

Today, a new confrontation is brewing between Malaysia and Indonesia. However, this time it is not military confrontation but economy confrontation.

For the past 20 years, many Indonesians came to work and live in Malaysia, legally and illegally, to avoid the hardships in their country. Many worked as housemaids and construction workers.

Indonesian labours helped to build Malaysia's economy, from construction to manufacturing, from businesses to domestic households....

Malaysia cannot live without Indonesian labours! Indonesia has successfully infiltrated Malaysia through labour soft power.

20 years later, with the very much improved economy and social order, Indonesia is flexing its muscles telling Malaysia that " it is time for me to dictate ..."!

Malaysian flags were frequently being burned in Jakarta in show of displeasure and indignant towards more affluent Malaysia.

The latest issue being the harsh (or ridiculous) conditions imposed on Malaysian employers to hire Indonesian housemaids.

Indonesia imposed a freeze on the supply of Indonesian maids to Malaysia on June 26, 2009, following reports of cases of abuse by employers

After months and years of negotiation, with Prime Minister Najib bringing the issue to Jakarta personally with President Susilo Bambang, Indonesia unfreezed the embargo on December 2011.

The first batch of maids is expected to arrive in Malaysia next month. However, new conditions were set by Indonesia.

"If a maid is employed as a cook, she will only be tasked with chores related to cooking and will not be doing any other duties, such as baby-sitting or washing clothes,” said Indonesia’s Labour Placement Deve­lopment director-general Reyna Usman.

That means if an employer wants the maid to do house works as it is now ( cooking, baby-sitting, care for elderly ,washing clothes and housekeeping) , she/he has to employ 4 maids to do them. Or alternatively, she can request the maid to do four types of chores by paying extra for each different job she does....

"Yanti, can you put the clothes into washing machine when you finish cooking..."

"No mam .. I can only wash dishes but not clothing... unless you pay me extra ..."

"OK ... baby is crying, can you attend to him first, see what he wants..."

"Sorry mam, it is my duty to check and make sure fishes are not over-fried ... not checking on baby, unless you pay me extra for that.."

"Aiya then, can you go bring PoPo (grandma) out from her room to the hall, and on the TV for her...."

" Cannot mam, I can bring dishes to the dining table, not PoPo from the room. You have to engage another Indonesian to do this job le .... but if you pay me extra, I can do it no problem..."

" If I make you The Queen of my house, do I have to pay you extra kah..?"

"Mam, I don't mind ... and I like it!"

Prime Minister Najib responded with a mild " Not reasonable at all ".

"We hope on their side they will revert to the agreement reached between me Indonesian president Susilo Bambang". (The Star March 17)

Can Malaysia say NO to Indonesia? I think we have missed the golden opportunity long time ago.

New CDD House 主徒会新会院

19-3-2012 Monday.

Event: Blessing of CDD House, Church of St. Ignatius, Petaling Jaya.

Programme:
- 6:00 pm Solemnity of the Feast of St. Joseph
- Blessing of CDD House
- Fellowship dinner

About 250 parishioners, well-wishers and benefactors attended this simple yet solemn ceremony.

I was touched to see the young and energetic CDD community during the ceremony. In view of the changing environment in the church hierarchy, society and church communities, I prayed to God the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit to grant them special blessings. When in face of challenges, may they rise to the occasion, overcoming problems and difficulties with divine wisdom, charisma according to the Will of God.

CDD Jiayou !

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19-3-2012 星期一

事项： 主徒会八打灵新会院祝圣及启用礼。

节目：
- 傍晚六时圣若瑟主保占礼弥撒
- 新会院祝福礼
- 晚餐

大约二百五十位来自堂区及各地教友，恩人参加了这简单但庄严的降福礼。

祝福礼中，见到了主徒会的神父们，都很年轻。在这改变中的教会，社会及团体的环境里，祈求天主神父，圣子及圣神给予这群年轻的牧者特别的祝福，引领他们，保护他们，在面对挑战的时候，以天上的智慧，神恩，按照天主的旨意，都给予克服，排除万难，为神国服务，勇往直前！

主徒会，加油！！

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检阅典礼 2012 Acies

『我的母皇，我的母亲，我属于你，我所有的一切都属于你！』

全世界的圣母军，每年一次，在三月二十五日，或最靠近的前后星期天，都会举行【检阅典礼】，如同军队般的排好战阵，向圣母宣读以上的奉献词，以示效忠，并从那里领受神力和祝福。

今天（18-3-2012），吉隆坡区域团假圣若望主教座堂，从下午一时至四时，举办了这项年度的典礼。大约八百名来自芙蓉，文丁，巴生，甲洞，瓜雪，八打灵和吉隆坡地区的各语言组圣母军，参加了这隆重的检阅礼。

首牧巴吉安总主教带领了军友，两位两位的列队，在圣母污染原罪态像前，手按军旗，向圣母宣读奉献词。出席的还有区域团指导神师雷睿明神父，林金狮蒙席及黄鏓颖神父。

巴吉安总主教在训诲中，提到今年四旬期的主题『聆听那个声音！』，圣母就是最好的榜样了。圣母军每次被派遣两位两位的出外拜访，不带物资，不分派救济品，但却带去比这些更好的礼物，那就是怜悯，关怀及聆听之心。

他透露，目前有大约二十万来自东马沙巴及砂劳越的天主教徒，他们在学院，工厂及商店工作。他们远离家乡，来到陌生的市镇居住，需要他人的关怀及接纳，就如来自其他国家的移民一样。他希望圣母军能够在这些牧灵工作领域里，投入参与。

检阅典礼最后以圣体降福结束。

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总主教：『我的母皇，我的母亲，我属于你，我所有的一切都属于你！』
Archbishop Murphy Pakiam: " I am all yours, My Queen， My Mother, and all that I have is yours"

Legion of Mary worldwide would hold its annual Acies on March 25 or a Sunday closest thereto. Acies is a Latin word means an army ranged in a battle array.

The Legionaries as a body assemble to renew their fealty to Mary, Queen of the Legion, and from her to receive strength and blessing for yet another year's battle with the forces of evil.

Today, The Kuala Lumpur Regia held its Acies at the St. John's Cathedral from 1:00pm to 4:00 pm. About 800 legionaries from Klang, Seremban, Kajang, Kuala Selangor, PJ and KL area attended this annual function.

Head shepherd Archbishop Murphy Pakiam led Regia Spiritual Director Fr. Raymond Pereira, Monsignor Daniel Lim and legionaries, two by two with hands holding to the Vexillum, read out loudly : "I am all yours, my Queen, my Mother, and all that I have is yours."

In his address before renewing of promise, Archbishop highlighted there are about 200,000 Catholics from East Malaysia (Sabah & Sarawak) residing in West Malaysia. Many left their remote home villages for towns and cites to find better living. They are strangers longing for care and acceptance from the local communities. He hoped legionaries will engage themselves in this particular pastoral care.

The function ended with a blessing of the Sacrament.

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Army set in battle array 排好战阵的圣母军队

After 14 days 十四天后

新的一天开始 Dawning of a new day

14 days .....

A fortnight away from the social networking ... it is good for the soul!

I am quite happy about it.

However, no break for Prime Minister Najib's desperate effort to buy votes by giving out more money to buy the hearts of people:

- RM100 to all pupils in schools;

- RM500 cash aid to those monthly household income below RM3000, or above 60 yrs of age .....

- Salary increment between 7-13% to 1.2 million government servants! (so that they will be loyal to the ruling coalition, few millions votes ensured)

- Millions $$$ to Chinese schools .... (to make Chinese community happy)

- Recognising degree of 146 universities in China .... (means Chinese school leavers can further study in China)

He even kowtao and said sorry for ruling coalition's past shortcomings and mistakes ....

More to come ..... more cash to give out .....

It means general election (GE) is near. Najib must win big, at least better than the previous GE, otherwise he has to pack up and go ...

Last Wednesday, we brought our housemaid Agnes to Kuala Lumpur jalan jalan. She needs to

go out once in a while to "de-stress" from the household chores.

We visited the newly open KLCC-Pavilion elevated Walkway. The 562 meters by 5 meters air-conditioned Walkway is financed by Petronas as part of its 100-million Comprehensive Pedestrian Network project.

By taking the KTM Commuter Train to Kuala Lumpur, I discovered the new meaning of the acronym KTM (Kerata Api Melayu or Malayan Railway).

It is Kumpulan Ta'tau Malu (Shameless group) OR Kumpulan Tak'da Maruah (Group without honour).

Delay, further delay, re-schedule re-re-schedule are common occurrence. Our train to KL was delayed by an hour.....

In the evening, the train supposed to arrive at 4:50 pm was re-scheduled to 5:27 pm. because it has to give way to another train.

At 5:27 pm, no train in sight. Ten minutes later, PA system announced that the train was stucked at Kepong station due to power outage ......

Was the train coming at all? when? no body knew.

We saw hundreds of tired faces, helplessly resigned to the fact that .... it was another delay, it was all in a day's work!

Complaint... complaint.... complaint .... to deaf ears. No improvement and only getting worse.

To a corporation without honour and knowing no shame, it is all in a day's work too.

《See video Youtube》

十四天。。。

一个远离社交网络的十四天 。。。这对灵魂有益！

我相当的喜欢。

不过，首相纳吉就没办法停下来了。他仍然马不停蹄的疯狂努力，派钱收买民心。

- 首先是每个学生都拿到马币一百元。

- 接下来是家庭收入每月少过马币三千元的，及超过六十岁的，都可以领受到马币五百元辅助金。

- 更劲爆的，一百二十万名政府公务员将得到7 至13 巴仙的加薪，追薪从2012年一月开始，（公务员就会对执政国阵效忠，保住数百万张选票）

- 对华校排糖果 - 拨款百万给华校，讨的华社欢心。

- 最近政府承认中国146所高校的文凭，华校子弟可以到中国深造。。

- 他还对国阵过去的错误作出公众道歉 。。。

- 还有更多的 ‘讨好’ 事项陆续而来。。。当然也会有更多的钱派出去！

这很明显的说大选即将到来了。纳吉在这将来的大选，必须有好成绩，至少比308更佳的表现，不然他就要收拾包袱下台了！

星期三，我们带家里的佣人出去“吹吹风”休闲，已疏解她的家务压力。

这次出游，乘搭电动火车到吉隆坡，对KTM（马来亚铁道局的缩写）有了更新的定义。

KTM 就是『不知羞耻的公司』或『没有廉耻的公司』。

迟到，迟到，误点，误点是平常的事。我们去吉隆坡的车班就迟到了一个小时。

傍晚我们要回家的时候，4：50分的火车，延迟的5：27分，因为要给某班火车优先通行；到了5：27分，没有火车来。十分钟后，公共播和报系统通知，火车在甲洞站，因停电不能开动。。。

火车会不会开出？什么时候？没有人知道！

几百个疲惫的脸孔，无奈的只好耐心的等待。

延误，误点，迟到，是KTM惯常的事，十多年不只没改善，还更糟糕呢。

铁道局从没能力改善，也习以为常。人民常常投诉，也充耳不闻，管理层脸皮也真厚 。。。。

可怜上班族，及那些得依靠公共交通系统的人民，常常受到这种低质素的服务折磨。。。

丢脸的机构！

《观看录影Youtube》

All going for Jalan Jalan 都是去悠闲游

Net-abstinence 守网斋

LENT
is a 40-day season
for reflection, meditation
Fast & abstinence, Prayer, self-denial and Charity

I am observing a 14-day Net-Abstinence starting today.

No social net-working, blogging, surfing
Online for checking mail only
Into wilderness
not 40 days
but 14.

四旬期
是四十天时期
作个人及团体反省，默想
守斋及禁食，祈祷，弃绝及善功

从今天开始,我将进行十四天的守网斋期

不参与社交网站，不写部落格
用电脑只是查询电邮
进入旷野十四天
不是四十天
戒

1-3-2012 --- 14-3-2012
In Exile
放逐旷野

See you on 15-3-2012 再见面