Tamaki + Hitachin + Mori + Hani-sempai vision
The less than perfect reality.
Not too many good screencaps this episode. But the introduction of Renge is always worth watching.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Ouran High School Host Club live-action: Ep 4
Tamaki + Hitachin + Mori + Hani-sempai vision
The less than perfect reality.
Not too many good screencaps this episode. But the introduction of Renge is always worth watching.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Ouran High School Host Club live-action: Ep 3
Haruhi's ＿|￣|O is one of the best I've seen in real life.
How much did TBS have to pay for this?
The reason why I got the HD version. In all 1080p glory.
Why is Kyouya not affected by Ayame?
How convenient that there are oxygen tanks right behind you when you fall.
Yes, real life tsundere's are really weird.
A horrified "father" and a bemused "mother".
In all honesty, I think TBS spent all their budget on the first ep. This was a rather lacklustre one, albeit with Ayame.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Ouran High School Host Club live-action: Ep 2
How Kyouya intends to fund the Host Club. Not sure if he has ever heard of Personality Rights.
"Otou-sama wants to see you like this!"
Not as big as the anime, but scary enough. (Through not as disturbing as the massive portrait of Maria Ozawa paraded outside the arrival hall of Sukarno International Airport in Menculik Miyabi)
"Don't blow up other people's picture without their permission!"
"Mother, Haruhi's using foul language!"
Disclaimer: Captions associated with a particular image scene do not necessarily reflect what was actually said.
Terrible neighbourhood kids.
Previously unseen: Haruhi cutting her hair because it was troublesome.
Tamaki vision of Haruhi.
The unfortunate Reality.
What happens when Tamaki discovers the consequences if Haruhi is exposed as a
lol.
Not enough of Nekozawa-sempai
"Hello girls, I'm Haruhi"
Yes, this is the health check ep.
To get from Ouran to Ourin. Also: why Geography should be a compulsory subject until Form 5.
One for the ladies.
If shoujo manga is to be believed, girls like Boy Love. I still can't comprehend this world.
I have to agree with Divine of RandomC: J-drama's, especially J-drama adaptations of manga, is an acquired taste.
Friday, August 26, 2011
Potemkin squatters
Above is an excerpt from the SBS mini-series, Go Back To Where You Came From. In particular, this is a segment from the second episode, broadcast on 22 June 2011, where the participants follow a all too familiar (for Malaysians) raid on a illegal squatter.
On 22 July 2010, the Malay language tabloid Harian Metro uploaded this video to their Youtube channel:
Maybe its just me, but the squatter Immigration raided for the benefit of Go Back To Where You Came From looks almost the same as the one that was supposedly raided nearly a year ago to the date. It looks almost like the same place, with the same hiding spots and all.
It does beg the question: do we have Potemkin squatters where Immigration and RELA raid over and over again, just to keep them and the crew of 999 in a job?
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Ouran High School Host Club live-action: Ep 1
aka Oh God I haven't laughed so much in a while.
One room that should not be entered by students with debts.
The die is cast.
The proverbial and legendary jar.
Who says stuff in anime doesn't work in real life?
Nekozawa sempai! I can't wait for his sister.
Key coffee! Not to be confused with Visualarts/key, through they do also brand coffee.
The truth.
Pub trivia: the narration for the live-action is provided by Sakamoto Maaya, who was the voice actress of Fujioka Haruhi in the Ouran anime.
Tamaki doesn't take the truth well.
I couldn't stop laughing. The ridiculousness of the whole thing is worth watching in itself.
One room that should not be entered by students with debts.
The die is cast.
The proverbial and legendary jar.
Who says stuff in anime doesn't work in real life?
Nekozawa sempai! I can't wait for his sister.
Key coffee! Not to be confused with Visualarts/key, through they do also brand coffee.
The truth.
Pub trivia: the narration for the live-action is provided by Sakamoto Maaya, who was the voice actress of Fujioka Haruhi in the Ouran anime.
Tamaki doesn't take the truth well.
I couldn't stop laughing. The ridiculousness of the whole thing is worth watching in itself.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Monday, August 15, 2011
Spin City: thermostat control
"Free" Malaysia Today, 11 August 2011: Workers to 'sweat' to reduce govt power bills
The Star, 11 August 2011: No lower than 24 degrees Celcius at govt offices
The Malaysian Insider, 11 August 2011: To cut energy bills, Putrajaya sets office air-con at 24°C
New Straits Times, 12 August 2011: Green efforts start at 24°C
Bernama, 11 August 2011: Minimum 24 deg Celsius ruling for govt offices
Personally, this was long overdue. It is one of the reason's why I have little desire to return to Malaysia to work. Every other office building has their air-conditioning set to arctic circle. Its quite stupid walking into a enclosed environment where its 20C, where everyone is wearing jackets and scarves. The you walk out of the door into 33C heat and 90% humidity.
I find this extreme very uncomfortable, and I attribute such variances in the ambient surrounding temperature to many an illness faced by me. Are Malaysian's that deprived to the extend that they need to have some kind of artificial climate ill suited to the tropics?
The Star, 11 August 2011: No lower than 24 degrees Celcius at govt offices
The Malaysian Insider, 11 August 2011: To cut energy bills, Putrajaya sets office air-con at 24°C
New Straits Times, 12 August 2011: Green efforts start at 24°C
Bernama, 11 August 2011: Minimum 24 deg Celsius ruling for govt offices
Personally, this was long overdue. It is one of the reason's why I have little desire to return to Malaysia to work. Every other office building has their air-conditioning set to arctic circle. Its quite stupid walking into a enclosed environment where its 20C, where everyone is wearing jackets and scarves. The you walk out of the door into 33C heat and 90% humidity.
I find this extreme very uncomfortable, and I attribute such variances in the ambient surrounding temperature to many an illness faced by me. Are Malaysian's that deprived to the extend that they need to have some kind of artificial climate ill suited to the tropics?
Monday, August 08, 2011
Sunday, August 07, 2011
Revoking Citizenship
One thing about Malaysian's is they seem to have a very poor understanding of the concept of citizenship. We've seen calls to revoke the citizenship of (amongst others) Ibrahim Ali, Wee Meng Chee @ Namewee, Ambiga Sreenivasan, Raja Petra Kamarudin, heck, even the whole Indian community in Malaysia.
But no one seems to have asked: can you revoke the citizenship of a Malaysian?
Can you?
Part 1: The concept of Malaysian citizenship
Malaysian citizenship is regulated by, surprise surprise, the Malaysian Federal Constitution. Specifically, Part 3 of the Constitution. There are 2 ways of obtaining Malaysian citizenship: by descent and naturalisation.
Obtaining Malaysian citizenship by naturalisation is almost impossible in Malaysia. There are people who, having married a foreign spouse for more than a decade, are still waiting for Permanent Residency so they can stop going to the immigration office every 3 months, never mind citizenship.
On the other end are those who are born and have only known Malaysia, but for the fact they do not have documents, or are not aware of the importance of documentation, they are effectively stateless in Malaysia. Justice Abdul Rahman Sebli noted as much in the case of Yong Lee Hua @ Piang Lin v Sabah Director of National Registration (suit no. K21-29-2008) when he said:
I think it is a fair assumption that Ibrahim Ali/Wee Meng Chee @ Namewee/Ambiga Sreenivasan/Raja Petra Kamarudin are Malaysians by birth, and axiomatically, Malaysians by descent.
Part 2: The termination of Malaysian citizenship
As anyone who paid any form of attention in secondary school knows, the easiest way to loose Malaysian citizenship is to take up the citizenship of another country. Malaysia does not recognise dual citizenship. In fact, the Malaysian High Commission in Canberra actually has a section for those who want to renounce their citizenship, presumably after they have adopted Australian citizenship.
The legal mechanism for revoking Malaysian citizenship is set out in Article 23 - 28 of the Constitution. In summary, the only way for Malaysian citizenship to be terminated is if the individual voluntarily renounces it, or if the Federal government discovers that a Malaysian has exercised the rights accorded only exclusively to citizens of another country (such as voting).
Being a permanent resident of a country does not equal citizenship. A person who holds Australian Permanent Residency is not entitled to vote in elections or work with the Australian Federal government level. Similarly, a person who has Malaysian Permanent Residency only has the safety of not being arrested during immigration raids. Malaysian Permanent Residents cannot vote, cannot work in any level of government (Federal, State of Local), have limited access to public healthcare, and lack a host of rights Malaysian citizens take for granted.
There is no evidence that Ibrahim Ali/Wee Meng Chee @ Namewee/Ambiga Sreenivasan/Raja Petra Kamarudin have taken up citizenship of another country. Wee Meng Chee may spend a fair amount of time in Taiwan (like so many other Malaysians, like Tsai Min Liang and Nicholas Teo), but there is no indication that he has taken up Taiwanese citizenship. (And he would be mad to do so. Say what you will of the Malaysian passport, its heaps better than the Taiwanese passport, officially recognised by 23 countries only)
Part 3: But what about Article 25?
Ah ha! Some may point out to Article 25 (1)(a), which says: "The Federal Government may by order deprive of his citizenship any person [..] that he has shown himself by act or speech to be disloyal or disaffected towards the Federation". I can almost hear the shrill cries of Ibrahim Ali/Wee Meng Chee @ Namewee/Ambiga Sreenivasan/Raja Petra Kamarudin being accused of a traitor to the nation and should be banished from Malaysia.
Upon closer examination however, would show that these people clearly can't read. Article 25 (1) in full states: "The Federal Government may by order deprive of his citizenship any person who is a citizen by registration under Article 16A or 17 or a citizen by naturalisation if satisfied [..]" (my emphasis)
In short, the only way someone "show[ing] himself by act or speech to be disloyal or disaffected towards the Federation [of Malaysia]" can have their citizenship revoked is if they were naturalised Malaysians. As mentioned, Ibrahim Ali/Wee Meng Chee @ Namewee/Ambiga Sreenivasan/Raja Petra Kamarudin are NOT known to be naturalised citizens of Malaysia.
Part 3: Tearing up the rule book
Let's assume, hypothetically, the Malaysian government decides to tear up the rule book. The birth certificates, passports and national registration identification cards of Ibrahim Ali/Wee Meng Chee @ Namewee/Ambiga Sreenivasan/Raja Petra Kamarudin are taken, destroyed and burnt. Then what?
They're still physically in Malaysia. Legally the immigration department can pack them off to the Lenggeng detention centre, but as poor as the conditions are, the tax payer still has to fork out money to keep them in, feed them, and deal with them.
Its all right thinking they can pack Wee Meng Chee and Ambiga Sreenivasan on the next flight to China and India respectively, but will these countries accept them? China wouldn't, having adopted a policy of "encouraging" the Chinese diaspora to adopt the citizenship of the territory they are in. (They have too many people as it is, never mind taking in crass, barbaric, bourgeois second rate Samaritans from Nanyang) India may even deny the plane to land on Indian territory, forcing the flight (and very disgruntled passengers) to turn around.
And what about Ibrahim Ali/Raja Petra Kamarudin? Where are you going to pack them off to?
Frankly, it is easier to keep them as legal citizens, paying taxes, contributing to society, not being a drain on the public purse by having their own health insurance, than having to chase after them every time there is a breakout at Lenggeng. And I haven't gotten into how much propaganda value there would be by third parties (Chinese culturalists, Malay nationalists, meddling Western powers, the Christian Right) should any one of them be stateless.
It is also against International Law, as the easiest way to create a refugee is for someone to be stateless. If Malaysia wants to be a good citizen of the world (and by and large, they are), it has to accept and take responsibility for those whom it decides to call its subjects. And overall, it has done so. Despite the whole "balik Tongsan" rhetoric, it accepted convicted murderer Phillip Choon Tee Lim back in Malaysia, and let him fade back to the shadows.
Conclusion: We're stuck with them
For better for worst, we're stuck with fellow Malaysians. We have no choice but to put up with the antics of Ibrahim Ali, the foul mouth of Wee Meng Chee, the games of Raja Petra Kamarudin, and Ambiga Sreenivasan's manipulation.
Now only if Penang Gerakan leader Baljit Singh, Malay Unity Action Body sponsor Osman Abu Bakar, Malacca Chief Minister Mohammad Ali Rustam, Cheras Umno division chairman Syed Ali Alhabshee, and former aide to Prime Minister Najib Razak Nasir Safar, will get the memo.
But no one seems to have asked: can you revoke the citizenship of a Malaysian?
Can you?
Part 1: The concept of Malaysian citizenship
Malaysian citizenship is regulated by, surprise surprise, the Malaysian Federal Constitution. Specifically, Part 3 of the Constitution. There are 2 ways of obtaining Malaysian citizenship: by descent and naturalisation.
Obtaining Malaysian citizenship by naturalisation is almost impossible in Malaysia. There are people who, having married a foreign spouse for more than a decade, are still waiting for Permanent Residency so they can stop going to the immigration office every 3 months, never mind citizenship.
On the other end are those who are born and have only known Malaysia, but for the fact they do not have documents, or are not aware of the importance of documentation, they are effectively stateless in Malaysia. Justice Abdul Rahman Sebli noted as much in the case of Yong Lee Hua @ Piang Lin v Sabah Director of National Registration (suit no. K21-29-2008) when he said:
It is common knowledge that there are citizens, particularly those in the rural and deep interiors of Sabah and Sarawak, who do not possess any birth certificate. Documentation is a concept that is alien to them. To demand that they produce their birth certificates before they can be considered as citizens would be to perpetrate a grave injustice.For the vast majority of Malaysians, citizenship comes by descent. How this operates has been well summarised by this amazing powerpoint presentation. See slides 90 - 100. I will not attempt to reinvent the wheel. Suffice to say if one is born to Malaysian parents, he or she will have Malaysian citizenship.
I think it is a fair assumption that Ibrahim Ali/Wee Meng Chee @ Namewee/Ambiga Sreenivasan/Raja Petra Kamarudin are Malaysians by birth, and axiomatically, Malaysians by descent.
Part 2: The termination of Malaysian citizenship
As anyone who paid any form of attention in secondary school knows, the easiest way to loose Malaysian citizenship is to take up the citizenship of another country. Malaysia does not recognise dual citizenship. In fact, the Malaysian High Commission in Canberra actually has a section for those who want to renounce their citizenship, presumably after they have adopted Australian citizenship.
The legal mechanism for revoking Malaysian citizenship is set out in Article 23 - 28 of the Constitution. In summary, the only way for Malaysian citizenship to be terminated is if the individual voluntarily renounces it, or if the Federal government discovers that a Malaysian has exercised the rights accorded only exclusively to citizens of another country (such as voting).
Being a permanent resident of a country does not equal citizenship. A person who holds Australian Permanent Residency is not entitled to vote in elections or work with the Australian Federal government level. Similarly, a person who has Malaysian Permanent Residency only has the safety of not being arrested during immigration raids. Malaysian Permanent Residents cannot vote, cannot work in any level of government (Federal, State of Local), have limited access to public healthcare, and lack a host of rights Malaysian citizens take for granted.
There is no evidence that Ibrahim Ali/Wee Meng Chee @ Namewee/Ambiga Sreenivasan/Raja Petra Kamarudin have taken up citizenship of another country. Wee Meng Chee may spend a fair amount of time in Taiwan (like so many other Malaysians, like Tsai Min Liang and Nicholas Teo), but there is no indication that he has taken up Taiwanese citizenship. (And he would be mad to do so. Say what you will of the Malaysian passport, its heaps better than the Taiwanese passport, officially recognised by 23 countries only)
Part 3: But what about Article 25?
Ah ha! Some may point out to Article 25 (1)(a), which says: "The Federal Government may by order deprive of his citizenship any person [..] that he has shown himself by act or speech to be disloyal or disaffected towards the Federation". I can almost hear the shrill cries of Ibrahim Ali/Wee Meng Chee @ Namewee/Ambiga Sreenivasan/Raja Petra Kamarudin being accused of a traitor to the nation and should be banished from Malaysia.
Upon closer examination however, would show that these people clearly can't read. Article 25 (1) in full states: "The Federal Government may by order deprive of his citizenship any person who is a citizen by registration under Article 16A or 17 or a citizen by naturalisation if satisfied [..]" (my emphasis)
In short, the only way someone "show[ing] himself by act or speech to be disloyal or disaffected towards the Federation [of Malaysia]" can have their citizenship revoked is if they were naturalised Malaysians. As mentioned, Ibrahim Ali/Wee Meng Chee @ Namewee/Ambiga Sreenivasan/Raja Petra Kamarudin are NOT known to be naturalised citizens of Malaysia.
Part 3: Tearing up the rule book
Let's assume, hypothetically, the Malaysian government decides to tear up the rule book. The birth certificates, passports and national registration identification cards of Ibrahim Ali/Wee Meng Chee @ Namewee/Ambiga Sreenivasan/Raja Petra Kamarudin are taken, destroyed and burnt. Then what?
They're still physically in Malaysia. Legally the immigration department can pack them off to the Lenggeng detention centre, but as poor as the conditions are, the tax payer still has to fork out money to keep them in, feed them, and deal with them.
Its all right thinking they can pack Wee Meng Chee and Ambiga Sreenivasan on the next flight to China and India respectively, but will these countries accept them? China wouldn't, having adopted a policy of "encouraging" the Chinese diaspora to adopt the citizenship of the territory they are in. (They have too many people as it is, never mind taking in crass, barbaric, bourgeois second rate Samaritans from Nanyang) India may even deny the plane to land on Indian territory, forcing the flight (and very disgruntled passengers) to turn around.
And what about Ibrahim Ali/Raja Petra Kamarudin? Where are you going to pack them off to?
Frankly, it is easier to keep them as legal citizens, paying taxes, contributing to society, not being a drain on the public purse by having their own health insurance, than having to chase after them every time there is a breakout at Lenggeng. And I haven't gotten into how much propaganda value there would be by third parties (Chinese culturalists, Malay nationalists, meddling Western powers, the Christian Right) should any one of them be stateless.
It is also against International Law, as the easiest way to create a refugee is for someone to be stateless. If Malaysia wants to be a good citizen of the world (and by and large, they are), it has to accept and take responsibility for those whom it decides to call its subjects. And overall, it has done so. Despite the whole "balik Tongsan" rhetoric, it accepted convicted murderer Phillip Choon Tee Lim back in Malaysia, and let him fade back to the shadows.
Conclusion: We're stuck with them
For better for worst, we're stuck with fellow Malaysians. We have no choice but to put up with the antics of Ibrahim Ali, the foul mouth of Wee Meng Chee, the games of Raja Petra Kamarudin, and Ambiga Sreenivasan's manipulation.
Now only if Penang Gerakan leader Baljit Singh, Malay Unity Action Body sponsor Osman Abu Bakar, Malacca Chief Minister Mohammad Ali Rustam, Cheras Umno division chairman Syed Ali Alhabshee, and former aide to Prime Minister Najib Razak Nasir Safar, will get the memo.
Friday, August 05, 2011
Friday and justice
One observation: when Rebecca Black sings about Friday and the days that surround it, she gets more than 160 million views on Youtube (before Youtube pulls it down) and is universally derided.
When miwa sings about Friday-Ma-Magic, the album will only released on 21 September 2011. A radio rip of it is posted online, it only gets 869 hits.
Where is the justice in this world?
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