[English/Bahasa/中文] Translation: E-girls / E.G. Anthem -WE ARE VENUS-

Proving that I have no life, and seeing that no one bothered to do a translation of "E.G. Anthem -WE ARE VENUS-" (I swear that is the title of the song) by E-Girls (I still sometimes think that they are a Japanese parody of SNSD), I decided to spend my Christmas long weekend taking a stab at translating it.

The thing about translations is that it can be surprisingly hard to stop.

So I ended up doing it in the 3 languages I know.(Gawd my Bahasa is so so so sooo rusty)

O|¯|_

Original Japanese lyrics and romanji from here.

[Insert standard disclaimer here on how I don't own anything, pictures are not mine, I'm just a random guy who happens to be able to do multiple languages, please don't send DCMA takedown notices, I make no profit out of this, yeah sure rip it without attribution anyway even if I ask so, etc etc]

(For those who don't get it, "Dream", "Happiness", "Flower" are sub-units of E-Girls)

(Yes, I know it is a crap song. How else do you think I can have the language proficiency translate it?)

(Also, it was surprisingly hard to stop myself translating "後ろにKISS" to "Di belakang adalah ciuman, yang diharamkan oleh pihak berkuasa agama kerana ia bercanggah dengan ajaran Islam". Seriously, in today's Malaysia, it is hard to think otherwise, when half the time is spent arguing that this is haram, that is haram.)

English
On the right is Happiness
On the left is Flower
E-g-i-r-l-s Go! E-girls!
In front is Dream
At the rear is Girls
E-g-i-r-l-s Go! E-girls!
E-g-i-r-l-s Go! E-girls!
E-g-i-r-l-s Go! E-girls!

The freaky night has a shaking flavour
Saying bye-bye to the time of boredom
Stepping out, bathed on the glare of the spotlight
Isn’t it time to be a bit more daring?

Mirror Ball
Music of the light
Everyday
Get the dance steps starting!

On the right is Funky Love
On the left is Wink
Yes! We Are Venus
This fun of freedom
In front is Jump Jump
At the rear is Kiss
So Step Step Step Step
Everyone let’s get the party started

Showing their inner heart by Free Style
Our eyes meet Discommunication
Dressing up to be the centre focus of you
Every night is Saturday night
Girls Fever!

Dressing up to dance
Being followed by light
Daring to be myself
Just Keep On Dancing

On the right is Funky Love
On the left is Pop
Yes! 1 2 3 4
The sky’s the limit
In front is Skip Skip
At the rear is Hop
So Step Step Step Step
Take that step out

On the right is Happiness
E-g-i-r-l-s Go! E-girls
On the left is Flower
E-g-i-r-l-s Go! E-girls
In front is Dream
E-g-i-r-l-s Go! E-girls
At the rear is Girls
E-g-i-r-l-s Go! E-girls

On the right is Funky Love
On the left is Wink
Yes! We Are Venus
This fun of freedom
In front is Jump Jump
At the rear is Kiss
So Step Step Step Step
Everyone let’s get the party started

On the right is Funky Love
On the left is Pop
Yes! We Are Venus
The sky’s the limit
In front is Skip Skip
At the rear is Hop
So Step Step Step Step
Everybody, Come on! Dance

Bahasa Malaysia Melayu
Di bahagian kanan adalah Happiness
Di bahagan kiri adalah Flower
E-g-i-r-l-s Go! E-girls!
Di depan adalah Dream
Di belakang adalah Girls
E-g-i-r-l-s Go! E-girls!
E-g-i-r-l-s Go! E-girls!
E-g-i-r-l-s Go! E-girls!

Malam freaky yang ada rasa yang bergoyang
Mengucap selamat tinggal kepada masa bosan
Melangkah keluar ke silau cahaya spotlight
Kan ini masa untuk menjadi lebih berani?

Mirror Ball
Kepada lagu cahaya
Setiap hari
Menyedari tarian ini

Di bahagian kanan adalah Funky Love
Di bahagan kiri adalah Wink
Yes! We Are Venus
Dalam kecerian kebebasan ini
Di depan adalah Jump Jump
Di belakang adalah Kiss
So Step Step Step Step
Mari kita semua mula perayaan ini

Menampilkan nuraini dengan gaya Free Style
Mata kita menemui sama-sama Discommunication
Berpakaian untuk menjadi di tengah fokus anda
Setiap malam adalah malam Sabtu
Untunglah gadis!

Berseragam pakaian untuk menari
Diikuti oleh kilauan cahaya
Beranikan lah untuk jadi diri sendiri
Just keep in dancing

Di bahagian kanan adalah Funky Love
Di bahagan kiri adalah Pop
Yes! 1234
Dalam kecerian kebebasan ini
Di depan adalah Skip Skip
Di belakang adalah Hop
So Step Step Step Step
Jadikanlah langkah yang keluar itu

Di bahagian kanan adalah Happiness
E-g-i-r-l-s Go! E-girls!!
Di bahagan kiri adalah Flower
E-g-i-r-l-s Go! E-girls!!
Di depan adalah Dream
E-g-i-r-l-s Go! E-girls!!
Di belakang adalah Girls
E-g-i-r-l-s Go! E-girls!!

Di bahagian kanan adalah Funky Love
Di bahagan kiri adalah Wink
Yes! We Are Venus
Dalam kecerian kebebasan ini
Di depan adalah Jump Jump
Di belakang adalah Kiss
So Step Step Step Step
Mari kita semua mula perayaan ini

Di bahagian kanan adalah Funky Love
Di bahagan kiri adalah Pop
Yes! We Are Venus
Dalam kecerian kebebasan ini
Di depan adalah Skip Skip
Di belakang adalah Hop
So Step Step Step Step
Jadikanlah langkah yang keluar itu


中文
右边是Happiness
左边是Flower
E-g-i-r-l-s Go! E-girls!!
前面是Dream
后面是Girls
E-g-i-r-l-s Go! E-girls!!
E-g-i-r-l-s Go! E-girls!!
E-g-i-r-l-s Go! E-girls!!

怪异的夜晚 摇晃的香味
向无聊的时间说再见
踏出脚步的话 镁光灯就会聚焦在你身上
再大胆点也无妨吧

水晶吊球
闪耀的音乐
每一天
唤醒舞步吧

右边是Funky Love
左边是Wink
Yes! WE ARE VENUS
自由的玩乐
前面是JUMP JUMP
后面是Kiss
So Step Step Step Step
大家一起玩乐吧

展现自己的心 随时都是自由风格
眼神交汇 迪斯科交流
盛装打扮的你也是众人注目焦点
每晚都是周六晚上
Girls Fever!

飞舞的衣裳
闪耀的舞池
勇敢做自己
Just keep on dancing

左边是Funky Love
右边是Pop
Yes! 1 2 3 4
哪里都能去
向前是 Skip Skip
后面是Hop
So Step Step Step Step
所以踏出一步

左边是Happiness
E-g-i-r-l-s Go! E-girls!!
右边是Flower
E-g-i-r-l-s Go! E-girls!!
向前是 Dream

E-g-i-r-l-s Go! E-girls!!
后面是Girls
E-g-i-r-l-s Go! E-girls!!

右边是Funky Love
左边是Wink
是的 我们是维纳斯
自由的玩乐
前面是Jump Jump
后面是Kiss
So Step Step Step Step
所以踏出一步

右边是时髦的爱
左边是Pop
是的 我们是维纳斯
自由的玩乐
前面是Skip Skip
后面是Hop
So Step Step Step Step
大家一起来dance吧！

Another reason why everything in this world is in the wrong place

Asian girls: I want my eyes to be big, like the caucasian's

Caucasian girls: I want my eyes to be small, like to lolita type girls in Asia

O|¯|_

Meanwhile in Australia

Source: http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/woman-leaves-family-car-hides-in-park-and-calls-police-to-avoid-going-to-brisbane-to-see-in-laws-for-christmas/story-fnn8dlfs-1227165786959

Quality Australian journalism at work.

Meanwhile in Taiwan

2014 Google Trends: ranking of most search celebrities in Taiwan.

Twitter Gems, part 64

Source: https://twitter.com/kurosawahisashi/status/532103150090452992

Some people have way too much free time.

Twitter Gems, part 63

Source: https://twitter.com/fyde90/status/523226361356234753

Sounds legit.

Meanwhile in Malaysia.........

Translation: Itou Kanae's interview during AFA Indonesia - 15-17 Aug 2014

Following up on AFA ID 2014, gaming news website Duniaku published a short interview with one of my favourite seiyuu, Itou Kanae. Proving that I have no life, I decided to take a stab at translating it.

Seriously, no mention of her as Hinamori Amu?!

[Insert standard disclaimer here on how I don't own anything, pictures are not mine, I'm just a fan who happens to be able to read Bahasa, please don't send DCMA takedown notices, I make no profit out of this etc etc]

Source: http://www.duniaku.net/2014/08/17/afaid-2014-wawancara-khusus-dengan-kanae-yui-ito-ternyata-keduanya-sama-sama-ingin-tahu/

AFAID 2014: Wawancara Khusus Dengan Kanae “Yui” Ito, Ternyata Keduanya Sama-sama Ingin Tahu!

Jika kamu penggemar judul anime seperti Hanasaku Iroha, Sword Art Online (SAO), Fate/kaleid liner Prisma☆Illya, dan Kami Nomi zo Shiru Sekai, kamu pasti familiar dengan seiyuu yang bernama Kanae Ito ini. Kali ini, duniaku berkesempatan untuk melakukan interview dengan Kanae Ito dan juga producer dari Sword Art Online II, yaitu Shinichiro Kashiwada. Tingkah laku Kanae Ito terlihat sangat lucu sekali, dan terkadang mengundang tawa. Kanae Ito sendiri berperan sebagai seiyuu dari Yui, salah satu karakter dalam anime Sword Art Online.
If the anime series of Hanasaku Iroha, Sword Art Online (SAO), Fate/kaleid liner Prisma☆Illya, and Kami Nomi zo Shiru Sekai are on your watchlist, you would be familiar with a seiyuu called Itou Kanae. Duniaku got the opportunity to interview both Itou Kanae and the produce or Sword Art Online II, Kashiwada Shinichiro. Itou Kanae's conduct [throughout the interview] was entertaining/comical, interspersed with happy laughs. Itou Kanae herself is the voice behind Yui, a character from Sword Art Online.

Q: SAO II sendiri lebih fokus ke senjata api, sedangkan seri pertamanya fokus dengan pedang sebagai senjata utama. Apakah nantinya akan berubah?
Question:  SAO II focuses on firearms, while the first season [of SAO] focused on sword fights. What other changes can we [the audience] expect?

Kashiwada: (menunjuk ke Kanae Ito untuk menjawab pertanyaan)
Kashiwada: (motions to Itou Kanae to answer the question)


Kanae Ito: (melihat ke Kashiwada-san dengan pandangan menggemaskan) Kenapa saya yang harus menjawab? Nanti karakter utamanya akan jadi Yui, Yui the great adventure! (seraya bercanda)
Kanae: (looks at  Kashiwada-san in panic) Why is it my question to answer? Wait for Yui to become the main character. Yui the great adventure! (in a joking tone)

Kashiwada: (tertawa) Nantinya aka nada konsep pedang melawan senjata api.
Kashiwada: (lauging) As the series progresses there will fights between firearms and sword armoury.

Q: Anime SAO season pertamanya sangat populer. Apakah season keduanya ini akan lebih populer lagi?
Question: The first season of the SAO anime was popularly received. Will the second season be even more popular?

Kanae Ito: Semuanya tergantung dengan Yui! (katanya dengan semangat)
Kanae: Leave it to Yui! (said with passion)

Kashiwada: Dalam season keduanya, dalam game yang berjudul Gun Gale Online di dalam animenya, ada seorang karakter yang bernama Shinon. Perang senjata api melawan pedang memang susah digambarkan, namun itu akan menjadi poin menarik dan menjadi daya tarik tersendiri.
Kashiwada: In the 2nd season of the anime, in the game "Gun Gale Online", a new character named "Shinon" will be introduced. A battle between irearms and sword armoury may be hard to visualise, but that alone makes it more interesting and is an attraction in itself.




Q: Apakah ada kesamaan karakter Yui, dengan sifat Kanae Ito sendiri?
Question: Are there any similarities between yourself, Itou Kanae, and your character Yui?

Kanae Ito: Hmmm.. mungkin sifat yang sama adalah rasa ingin tahu yang sangat besar, selalu ingin mencoba sesuatu, misalnya makanan baru yang kelihatannya enak.
Kanae: Hmmm..maybe one similar trait would be the characteristic of curiosity, always wanting to try something [new], for example trying new food that look delicious.

Q: Apakah game SAO yang sudah dirilis di PSVita memiliki hubungan cerita dengan animenya?
Question: Is the SAO game released for PSVita tied into the anime storyline?

Kashiwada: Tidak ada hubungannya, cerita game nya original. Tapi bagi kamu yang penasaran karena di animenya hanya sampai sekitar lantai 65 padahal ada 100 lantai, maka kamu bisa mencoba bermain sampai dengan lantai 100 di game nya.
Kashiwada: The game is an original storyline, with no relationship with the anime. But the anime only depicts 65 levels, while the game has 100 levels, allowing players to try and complete all 100 levels in the game.

Q: Jika ikut dalam game Gun Gale Online, apa senjata favoritmu?
Question: What is your favourite weapon in the game "Gun Gale Online"?

Kanae Ito: Hmm, mungkin senjata yang kecil seperti pistol, atau yang bisa jarak jauh seperti milik Shinon, sniper
Kanae: Hmm, maybe small type weapons like a pistol, or long range weapons, such as Shinon's sniper

Kashiwada: Kalau saya, sudah jelas, yang paling cocok adalah Machine Gun! (yang disambut tawa oleh seluruh isi ruangan)
Kashiwada: For me, the choice is obvious: my weapon of choice is the Machine Gun! (Room fills with laughter by all those present)

Q: Di anime season pertamanya, di akhir-akhir episode, Yui menghilang. Bagaimana perasaanmu?
Question: in the final episodes of the 1st season [of SAO], Yui disappears. How does [Itou Kanae]feel about this [development]?

Kanae Ito: Mulai sekarang Yui akan menjadi karakter utama, saya percaya itu! (katanya dengan nada menggemaskan)
Kanae: I believe, from now onwards, Yui will be the main character! (Said in a adorable tone) 

Meanwhile in Australia.........

Source


*insert me mumbling about my tax dollars at work*

Incidentally, one of the ways I determine if I'm drunk or not is my ability (or otherwise) to do pon pon wei wei wei pon pon wei pon wei pon pon.

Money transfers

Source: http://www.news.com.au/finance/money/instant-money-transfers-edge-closer/story-e6frfmci-1227000227975

This year marks 8 years of me in Australia, but I still can't get over how it is faster to transfer money electronically in Malaysia than in Australia.

And this is from first hand experience. There was one occasion where I had a transfer of money to my Australian bank account in the morning, and a separate unrelated transfer of money to my M'sian bank account in the afternoon, and the money hit my M'sian bank account by evening, while I had to wait till the next morning for the funds to be cleared in my Australia bank account.


Source: https://www.pbebank.com/Personal-Banking/FAQs/PBe-Online-Banking/Transfer-Fund-to-Other-Banks.aspx

I mean seriously, how does Australia get EFT so wrong, that it will be end 2016 before we join the rest of the world?!

Twitter Gems, part 62

Meanwhile in Indonesia:



Source: https://twitter.com/rhkilis/status/479662209908219905

Spin

Philip Wen, writing for Fairfax Media:

Source: "Missing Malaysia Airlines jet: Chinese families call Malaysians 'executioners'", 25 March 2014

"choking up as he relayed the grim news"? Really?

Watch the original live broadcast yourself and make your own decisions: http://tv.cntv.cn/video/C11346/5db44245babc42a99c3f0df40a7921be

How much is a religious conversion worth?

Talikhidmat case number 20140521-0044, submitted 21 May 2014:


Source:
http://talikhidmat.sarawak.gov.my/apps/talikhidmat/v3/modules/calltracks/components/portal/request.php?&id=59706

The Borneo Post, 30 May 2014:

Source: http://www.theborneopost.com/2014/05/30/go-to-jais-to-renounce-converts-told/

You got to admit, the response time was quite fast: about 7 days (including weekends) after it was submitted.

And before people start shouting about not being able to convert out of Islam in Malaysia, may I direct you to ‘Law of Apostasy and Freedom of Religion in Malaysia’, Adil, M. 2007, Asian Journal of Comparative Law, Vol. 2 Issue 1. Specifically pages 24 and 27.

Signs I have been in Brisbane for too long

The local Woolworths extending their Saturday opening hours from 5pm to 7pm is a ZOMG moment.

I can has shopping after 5pm on Saturdays?!

Twitter Gems, part 61

Source: https://twitter.com/cowboybibimbop/status/467145365263638528

Surely we can kick-start something to at least chip in for bail?

翻译：马航370事件

中文版在下。

At the peak of the media hype in the early days of MH370's disappearance, a Facebook note by KijangMas Perkasa made its way around the Malaysian websphere. A note which struck a chord with some Malaysian netizens.

Since this is Malaysia (read: no matter what language you use, half the population will not understand you), I decided to take the liberty (read: I have no life) at that point to (23 March) translate a status update by Facebook user "KijangMas Perkasa" (most likely violating Facebook's real-name policy) on the Malaysian reaction to MH370 Re. the PRC families reaction.

Notes：
It has to be said that there are a few factual errors in the original status update:

1) While almost 2/3 of the passengers were PRC nationals, only 7 tickets were booked through the China Southern Airlines codeshare, not "the bulk of [..] tickets".

(Sources: http://news.cnw.com.cn/news-international/htm2014/20140317_293908.shtml, http://news.sina.com.cn/c/2014-03-08/184929658212.shtml, http://news.163.com/air/14/0311/06/9N1M13UA00014PHJ.html)

2) MH has put up the relatives in the Sama-Sama hotel, which is billed as 5 stars, not 4 stars (http://www.samasamahotels.com/)

3) The "irrelevant satellite image" (which I agree was useless) was not released officially by the Chinese government, and in fact Xinhua has scrubbed all references of the 12 March release from their website. It was unilaterally released by PRC State Administration for Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence.

While I agree with the overall sentiment of the note, however, it does not change the fact that "KijangMas Perkasa" is a anti-Chinese, anti-Christian, anti-West, pseudo-Malay nationalist group, who like most of them, miss the wood for the trees in their (ethnic) Malaysian-Chinese bashing.

-ENDS-

中文翻译：

CNN （有线电视新闻网）, BBC （英国广播公司）, ABC （美国广播公司）, CBS （美国广播公司） 和 NBC （全国广播公司）, 世界的西方媒体，都一再不断的重复昨天 （2014年三月十九日）在MH370新闻发布会场的混乱。西方媒体描述马来西亚为一个无赖的国家，向世界隐瞒真相和说谎，一进表面给真个世界。

反马的针对象已经到一个过度了！

当整个世界的目光都在集中在印度洋有可能发现 MH370 的碎片，我只想说：

所有的国家都在悲痛中。

马来西亚已经失踪了50位公民。他们是一个人的父亲，母亲，子女，兄弟，姊妹。他们的亲人都在悲伤中。 同事，印度尼西亚也失去了七位公民，澳洲也失去了六位公民，印度也失去了五名个乘客，剩下的乘客也来自其他11个国家和地区。

但是。。。。。

西方媒体一直专注于中国乘客的家属，有 如沉浸在这中方家属得悲伤和愤怒。这放肆的感慨已经演变成一班股反马的力量，蛮横的指责马来西亚的政府和官员，把他们形容成粗鲁的，嘈杂的，不合理的，敌对的暴徒， 的反马力量，只想发泄他们个人的不满。

此时，马来西亚变成了西方媒体和家属的出气筒

虽然马方没有指望家属说 “感谢您的关注，支援和招待”，可是马方也并不期望中方的家属在MH370新闻发布会场举办了个人抗议。而最不希望看到中方的家属高举「我们抗议大马政府隱瞒真相，耽误救援时间，必须无条件把MH370亲人放回来」的横幅。

如果这样的行发生在中国，你们应该知道后果吧？

作为西方的媒体，洛杉矶时报 引用一个家属的话 – 和他们的媒体同事用相同的风味重复 – 来据在北京的某个家属：

“我们抗议马来西亚政府隐瞒真相！从一开始马方都一直耽误救援时间！隐瞒事实，而现在他们歪曲事实！”

真的还是假的？

事实？

过去十二天的媒新闻发布就算什么？马方的一大堆鬼话？隐瞒真相？耽误时间？歪曲事实？

你们是想要什么的“事实”？

MH370的飞机坠毁？飞机被劫持？飞机已经降落了？飞机已经丢失，而将永远不会被发现？你们家属人员能接受这个“事实”吗？

你们非常想要听到这些？不能把。那么你们想要什么样的的消息是？

那么，什么是“事实”呢？

事实上 – [..] - 没有人知道事实的真相。马，中，美，或是其他的国家，都不知道事实的真相。就是因为这个原因三十个国家一直寻找几百万公里的海洋。

大马人也很同情你们的悲伤。可是，其他的家属也同样失去他们的亲人。这其中包括马来西亚，印尼，澳洲，印度，美国 的家属都失去他们的亲人。可是为什么只是中方的家属对马航的北京代表人发狂和扔瓶子？

为什么只是中方的家属肆无忌惮的向世人，航空公司，搜索队， 国的领导，其他国家展现无法人为控制的事件引起愤怒和沮丧？

这个世界上有一个东西叫同情疲劳。中方家属在北京丽都酒店和马来西亚的吉隆坡国际机场的行为被世界的媒体播放给了整个世界，已经使许多真正关心的马来西亚人对中方家属产生同情疲劳。

至于西方媒体，记住，有239条生命在MH370上有239个命，不只是152条生命。不要忘记这个基本的资料。西方媒体，你们为什么不管注其他87个乘客的家庭？

-终-

原文:

The Western Media, including CNN, BBC, ABC, CBS and NBC, have been broadcasting again and again, almost in loop tape fashion, the near riot in the MH370 media briefing room yesterday. Malaysia's portrayal as a villainous state, with evil officials hoarding information and telling untruths with impunity is now complete.

Malaysia bashing is on overdrive !

NOW, while the world is gripped by the possible discovery of MH370 debris in the southern Indian Ocean, let me state something:-

NO country has a monopoly on grief.

Malaysia lost 50 of its citizens. These are fathers, wives, siblings and children of quietly grieving families across our land. Indonesia lost seven people, Australia six, India five, with others spread over 11 other countries and territories.

BUT . . .

The Western Media is focusing almost exclusively on families of Chinese passengers, almost reveling in the dramatic expressions of sorrow and anger by these people. These unbridled emotions have long degenerated into bouts of Malaysia-bashing, with wild and outrageous accusations thrown at our officials and our nation by what has became a rude, noisy, unreasonable and hostile mob bent on venting their personal frustrations at something, somewhere, somehow.

And Malaysia became this punching bag.

While a little "thank you for your concern, support and hospitality" may be beyond these guests of Malaysia Airlines, we didn't expect a noisy demo in the media briefing hall either. And not least the Malaysia-bashing banner which read: “We protest against the Malaysian government withholding information and wasting time and hampering search efforts.”

NOW . . . you people know what happens if you do THIS in your homeland, China? Yes, I'm sure you do.

As for the Western Media, the LA Times quoted a typical line -- with the same flavor repeated again and again among their compadres -- this time purportedly by a grieving family member in Beijing:-

"I’m angry at Malaysia for not telling the truth. From the start they were buying time, withholding facts, and now they’re distorting the truth.'"

Really?

The truth?

What then do you call the media briefings of the 12 days? Pack of lies by Malaysia? Untruth? Buying time? Withholding facts?

Why?

So what "truth" do you want?

That the plane crashed? No, you won't accept it. The plane was hijacked? No also. The plane landed somewhere? Again No. The plane is lost and will NEVER be found? A big No No.

Then what do you really want to hear? Do you even know WHAT you want to hear?

So what is "truth" then?

NOW, you want the truth? You really want the truth? Ok . . . . .

The truth is -- until about a couple of hours ago with the Australian preliminary interpretation of the commercial satellite imagery -- NOBODY KNOWS. Not Malaysia, not China, not America, nobody knows. That's why everyone and his uncle from almost 30 countries plus millions online worldwide have been searching millions of square km of land and the deep blue ocean.

Sure, I sympathize with your grief. But again, others lost their loved ones too and suffer from the same uncertainty as well. I repeat, Malaysia lost 50 passengers and crew, including some of our best and brightest. And passengers from 13 other countries and territories were also on that flight and suffered the exact same fate as your loved ones. BUT I don't see Malaysians, Indonesians, Australians, Indians or Americans go berserk and throw bottles at Malaysia Airlines staffers and verbally abuse caregivers.

Did grieving Malaysian next-of-kin throw bottles and spit at your embassy officials and representatives in KL over the irrelevant satellite image furnished in the name of your government, which led to the deployment of our SAR assets in the middle of the South China Sea to unravel a lead that turned out to be a sick prank among many untruths and distortions spewed by your country's social media?

So why must only you people display this unbridled anger and frustration over something beyond the control of anyone, any airline, any search party, any national leader, any country, even the planet itself?

Still not satisfied?

Still want to bash Malaysia at every turn while you partake in all the free food, 4-star accommodation, counseling and transportation provided by Malaysia Airlines although the bulk of your kin's tickets were actually purchased from China Southern Airlines in a Code Share? What has China Southern Airlines done? Next to nothing. Zilch.

My message to these people: there is something called Compassion Fatigue. Your antics in Beijing and KLIA beamed over the global media has pushed many genuinely caring Malaysians towards this state of mind.

AND to the Western Media, remember, there are 239 souls on MH370, not just 152. The world has witnessed the antics of the families of the 152. Why don't you people now focus on the other 87 families who by and large handled this very difficult times with dignity underlain by brave acceptance of God's will.

---------------------------------------

Twitter Gems, part 60

Maybe I should take up Cantonese.

无题

Source: http://weibo.com/1843875994/ADtNV3zoz

A surprisngly not inaccurate summary of the whole search for MH370 so far - as told by balls

Source: here

Twitter observations

Source: https://twitter.com/wansaiful/status/444092889069408256

Yes, this is the same Wan Saiful Wan Jan from the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs.

I've just spent 67 seconds watching an Indonesian cewek eat an orange

What went wrong with my life?

Twitter Gems: Meanwhile in Malaysia.....

Source: https://twitter.com/juleegorocka/status/438997689603092480

The USD has fallen a bit: 50 US cents is now around RM 1.6375.

Trip report: KCH-BNE with MH Economy Class

Interestingly got the old 737-400's for the KCH-KUL leg. While they are showing their age, and I'm glad that they are being replaced with the much more modern (and fuel efficient) 737-800's, I will miss them. I grew up with the biggest 737-400 fleet in South-East Asia.

Lots of memories on them, right down to the cigarette ashtrays on the arm rests

Flight details:

Flight number: MH 2547
Day: 08 Feb 2014
Seat: 26D. Unilaterally allocated by MH.
Scheduled takeoff: 0556
Actual takeoff: 0600
Scheduled landing:0740
Actual landing: 0730

Registration: Too dark. Couldn't see.

The KCH-KUL sector is well traveled, and to be honest there is nothing much to write about it. A 90 minute flight, and with MH, a meal to break up the monotony of the flight.

To be honest I was half asleep most of the time, being at the ungodly hour. It is the first flight out to KUL from KCH. I was surprised how full it was this time however. Usually it is pretty empty, ferrying government servants or corporate types for a day trip to KL. Or people like me who need to connect to the MH Oceania flights which are in mid-morning from KUL.



Meal service was a chicken dish, which was actually quite nice. This is after the orgy of CNY food over the last 2 weeks prior.



And even came with kek lapis for desert!

The meal was a welcome breakfast for me, who had a long day ahead.



Landed in KLIA ahead of schedule, which was to be expected when being one of the first flights taking off from KCH for the day. Not that KCH really has traffic congestion outside of a few spikes during the festive periods.

Flight details:

Flight number: MH 135
Day: 08 Feb 2014
Seat: 39K. Unilaterally allocated by MH.
Scheduled takeoff: 0945
Actual takeoff: 1005
Scheduled landing: 2010
Actual landing: 1955

Like usual, I did an online check-in for my flights. However, this time MH decided to unilaterally assign me seats for the 2 sectors. I usually don't mind for the KCH-KUL sectors because it is just a short hop, but for long haul I always insist on an aisle seat, as I usually cant sit down for such extended periods of time.

However, this time round MH decided to give me a window seat, with no option to change it. Even at the check-in counter at KCH they we unable to do anything as the flight was "very full".

I decided to try my luck at the transfer counter of KLIA, and while I was served by a lovely girl, there was nothing much she could do as the flight was "very full" and all the aisle seats were taken.

I must say the load factors for the BNE-KUL sectors are very good when I fly them. The planes are well packed and usually there is not much space to stretch out. I'm glad they found the traffic to have a direct BNE-KUL flight, instead of doing the KUL-SYD-BNE triangle they used to do.

With about 2 hours in KLIA, and despite just being there 3 weeks ago, I went walkies.


Looks like KLIA decided to take a leaf from Changi, 3 years down the road. I have this restroom a "Good" rating. It was one of the cleaner and drier toilets I've seen around KLIA.

KLIA is a bit thin on the ground when it comes to transit attractions. Granted, it is better than most Australian airports, but when your competition is Changi and Chek Lap Kok, KLIA is quite dull to be in when you've got a transit.

At least wifi internet is free in KLIA (and not too slow either, even if they block video streaming sites).


My ride this time: 9M-MTN. Barely half a year old!

Since I got a window seat, some pictures from outside:























I must say it was quite hazy that day.

It was quite interesting, on the airtrain from the MTB to the Satellite terminal, was filled with Middle Eastern tourists, and they were taking pictures of everything on the train from the MTB to the Satellite terminal. Must be their first time in Malaysia.

Also, one thing I've always wondered, is why is there another security and passport check right at the gate? Because to get to the airside one needs to clear immigration, and security. Then just before the gate, ANOTHER security check, and another passport check in addition to the staff at the gate scanning your boarding pass.

To a point, I can understand the security check at the gate for the LCCT: it is a revenue raising stream for Air Asia because people can't bring water on-board D7 flights, even if they were purchased in the LCCT itself. But why the people checking our passports AFTER we have cleared both the check-in counter (which is supposed to enter our passport details into APIS to send to Australia before you even take off) and immigration


Kawaguchi Haruna was listed in the credits for 謝罪の王様. She was only in the movie for about 55 seconds!

A weird but good (for me) thing happened: after I took my seat (and made the person seating in the aisle seat get up twice: once to get in after stowing my cabin bag, another time to get something from it. Sorry!), the steward requested the person sitting next to me to move seats.

So he vacated it, and I was left with an empty seat.

For the rest of the flight.



I'm not complaining, honestly. It was a really full flight, and there were no spare seats around, and I ended up with a empty seat next to me. Someone was watching out for me for my flights back to and from Malaysia this time.

Despite being a new month, a lot of the stuff in the MH IFE was the same from the previous month. I ended up watching 謝罪の王様 again, if nothing else for the endingsong at the conclusion. (Yes, I can be a Inoue Mao tragic)

I ended up watching 2 movies in addition to that: "Gravity" and "Captain Phillips".

I'm not sure why Gravity has such critical acclaim. Personally I found it to be 90 minutes of pointless CGI and Sandra Bullock wearing tight fitting clothing. (Maybe that's how it was nominated for 10 Academy Awards) Sure, I can appreciate that it took a lot of work to film all those zero gravity scenes on earth when they're plenty of gravity pulling you down, but honestly I wouldn't pay to watch it. The only reason I watched it was because it was free on the MH IFE and wondered what it was all about.

"Captain Phillips" was a lot more interesting. I'm only vaguely aware of the issue of piracy in the waters of the Horn of Africa, so it was interesting to see a portrayal of one event. Would recommend.



Lunch was curry like chicken. Was okay, not bad, but nothing special to talk about.



I must say I find catering out of BNE better than out of KUL sometimes, and I'm not just saying that because I flew business class with MH on the first leg. I find BNE catering tends to be a bit more consistent. KUL seems to be a bit more variable: if they are good they're really good, but if they are average they are really average.

But who am I to complain. After dealing with D7 (OOL-KUL), MH is actually pretty good.



Desert wasn't too bad.

To be honest, it was a long day for me, and I fell asleep while watching a documentary on Zheng He (Cheng Ho).
The flight by and large was okay, save for the usual turbulence crossing the equator (again), but other than that it was a normal flight back to Brisbane.



Coming in all we get is a roll for dinner. I wonder why they don't feed us more, as we land around 8pm Brisbane time, and usually need to get dinner anyway.

The roll was okay, but a bit dry. In retrospect I should have asked for some tomato sauce.

Landed slightly before schedule, and right into the tender mercies Australian immigration: 3 counters open. Took 45 mins just to clear immigration and collect bags, only to have to deal with quarantine. Anyway, eventually got out, got a taxi, reached home, showered, and called it a long day.

Final thoughts:

Was a very normal flight to be honest. I suppose it was a bit too much to wish for another upgrade to Business Class, but scoring an empty seat on a full flight is still pretty sweet.

As far as airlines go, MH is one of the better ones I have been on. I will demure on their financial position, but as an airline they're pretty good service and food wise, and it is always nice having someone in MH's entertainment planning division who has a thing for Inoue Mao. :)

Trip report: KUL-KCH

At gate B2 on the MTB. Note the anti-drug smuggling message at the bottom of the screen.

Was a pretty standard flight, until I approached Kuching.



My ride this time.



A bit of plane spotting. Was a overcast day, and so not the best lighting to take pictures in.



Food was surprisingly nice, and I like how the meals come in boxes. Easier to serve, easier to bring some back if you can't finish it.



It was rainy coming into Kuching. Visibility was reduced and turbulence coming into KCH. The pilot didn't really inspire much confidence when just before landing he said "If there is an evacuation, leave all belongings on the place"!

I'm glad nothing untoward happened.