https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-09/coronavirus-intensifies-anti-foreigner-sentiment-in-china/12128224
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-08/salisbury-councillor-targeted-in-racist-coronavirus-attack/12133078
Let me get this out of the way: discrimination is unacceptable under any circumstances, be it spitting on people, denying services to people based on their skin colour, crossing the footpath to avoid people on how they “look”, refusing to sit next to “certain people” on public transport, being heckled in public areas.
However I find it interesting that people of all races are (only) finding out racial discrimination now, be it white people in China, black people in Taiwan, non-Han Chinese people in “Western countries”.
I have lived with discrimination all my life. I have never been a majority anywhere. I will probably never know what it feels like to be in a majority.
Being a minority is my natural state. Even in places where people perceive that I’m in a majority.
As a Malaysian-Chinese, the perception that SJKC’s would be my “natural” environment. But I was a “banana”, yellow on the outside, white on the inside. Speaking English at home. Growing up with Enid Blyton books. Even worst, I’m a Christian: white man’s religion. In an environment where the majority of my classmates spoke Mandarin or the “dialects” at home, worshipped non-Abrahamic faiths (if any), read Chinese Wuxia novels.
Until I was Primary 3, I was unable to communicate with my classmates, because I literally couldn’t speak their language. English is my first language; so as my parents, and my grandfather’s diaries are in English. My family history shows that we’ve been speaking English longer than some migrants in Australia, where I now live.
Teachers in SJKC we never far away from reminding me 你是华人不会讲华语你不觉得羞耻吗？I tried so hard to fit in: follow Chinese entertainment, read Chinese novels. But no matter what I did, I would never be “one of them”. (Sound familiar?)
In secondary school it was only slightly better: half my cohort was from SJKC, the other half from a English speaking SK. While I found better camaraderie with the ones from SK, I despaired at their misconceptions and ignorance of the “Chinese speaking” groups. For their part the SJKC groups found me handy when English assignments were due, as I could literally speak their language, but the feeling that I got was that I was an “outside” to be exploited. (Hmmmmmm……….)
I don’t want to sound like my time in Primary and Secondary school was all bad: there were good people, good classmates, some of which I still keep in touch to this very day, good teachers, even if I’ve forgotten their names but only remember their faces.
But no child should have to go through what I did.
I am grateful for having had the opportunity to learn the language, but I learnt Mandarin as a 3rd language. Because of my skin, nobody goes “Waaaahh, look at Tim speaking Mandarin and ordering food in Chinese”. (Apparently, I’m supposed to have woken up one day and magically be able to speak Mandarin)
On the other side, no one goes “Look at this Asian guy speak perfect English and writing a technical document without error!”. Never mind that many “native” speakers have lower English standards. (it still drives me nuts the number of times I see “paid” written as “payed” and “dual” written as “duel” after all these years in Australia!)
So I laugh a white skinned people who cry “discrimination” when they come/settle in Asia. When yellow skinned people feel “inequity” when they are in “the Western world”. No matter how good you are with the language, how much you try and be culturally same as them, you will always be an outsider. When one is in a majority, and suddenly is in a minority, then they realise how the REAL world works.
The irony of all this is, Australia is where I feel the most comfortable in. I’m not part of the majority here. Many Malaysian friends/relatives have the impression that Australia is a land where discrimination is rife. I’m not saying that there is no discrimination in Australia, but it says volumes that I feel more accepted in “racist Australia” than supposedly “my natural state” in Malaysia. (When they’re not asking me to “go back to China”)
Even if I “went back” to China, I’ll still be discriminated against. Only the delusional think the 华人don’t discriminate against the 华裔. Heck, even those “Chinese speaking” Malaysian-Chinese face discrimination when they further their studies in China/Taiwan. And apparently I’m supposed to “balik Tongsan”. Never mind that I’m 5th generation in what is now Malaysia. Never mind that my great-great grandfather was in Sarawak (however defined) before James Brooke.
White/Black/Brown/Yellow/Green/Purple/Orange people don’t have a monopoly on discrimination/being discriminated against. I find it hilarious at the whole hysterical “poor me; look I’m being discriminated against because COVID19”.
When one is used to a position of priviledge, the equality of the real world feels like oppression.
If it takes a pandemic/COVID19 to show:
a) What it feels like to be a minority, for the majority of the population
b) People are dicks
c) Don’t be a dick
I, for one, welcome our new overlord.
Thursday, April 09, 2020
Monday, March 30, 2020
アイドルの労働災害？😅
Q: Why does an aidoru need to be able to run 50m?
A: Because you never know when you're being chased by someone
😅😰
Saturday, March 21, 2020
Factcheck: has the Civil Law Act 1956 "not had a single amendment"?
Source 1 and Source 2
The 2006 reprint of the Civil Law Act 1956 states that there has been at least 7 amendments to the Act in question since it went into force on 7 April 1956:
Especially the 1966 amendment, which added no less than 8 new sections to the Act.
So why is Universiti Islam Antarabangsa "conducting a study into the appropriateness of the Civil Law Act 1956" again?
Maybe because it is not "Islamic" enough?
Wednesday, February 12, 2020
Taking the Kuching Hydrogen bus ft. Chinese History Museum
On a rainy Wednesday morning, I decided to take a bus ride.
Now ordinarily that would be unremarkable. But this is Malaysia. Outside of KL, Penang and (maybe) Kuantan, public transport is non-existent. Not just "poor": as in without private transport there is no other way to get around.
Which probably explains the 9 year car loans in Malaysia. (Yes, because that's the only way for people to afford cars)
At least these days there is the option of Grab and the other local grown one.
Yes, there are people who have been born and grown up in Kuching that have never taken public transport.
There is actually a live tracker for the Kuching hydrogen bus, and it actually works! So I waited at the Satok bus stop, when the time came, (which was about 11am) it actually showed up.
From Satok it goes over the Satok Bridge, to the Sunday Market, and back to the other side of Satok, and up Jalan Muhibbah to Kampung No 4.
Still plenty of wooden houses in the Kampung, or as they call it in Australia, A$220,000 worth.
Yes Australian houses are made out of wood, and they cost so much.
The bus is actually quite small: 20 seats. However for frequent routes that's the type of bus to use, rather than a big bus that can only do reduced frequency.
About half an hour after getting on at Satok, and looping through the Satok Kampung's, the bus arrived at Open Air Market.
Takes about 5 minutes from Open Air Market to Sarawak Plaza/Tun Jugah Plaza area.
Left hand side of the bus interior
The bus goes as far east as the Cat Statue at Padungan.
While on the bus, I discovered a design flaw: there is a complete lack of buttons at the rear to ring the bell to stop. Yes, it doesn't stop at every bus stop, because it is a bus, and if no one is getting on, and no one rings the bell, it just goes on.
Those sitting at the back need to clamber to the middle of the bus to ring the bell. Very poor design.
Where the wifi comes from. The bus wifi actually worked, and backend is provided by Digi.
The bus then stopped outside Riverside; that seems to be its terminus. Everyone got off. This was about 11.45am. I asked when would be the next bus. "next trip pukul satu" 🤦🏼♀ (Next trip is at 1pm)
I wasn't going to wait one and a quarter hours for the next bus, so I decided to start walking to Satok.
Sarawak River very fast flowing after the morning's rain.
Ducked into the Chinese History Museum. Was pleased to see that the exhibits are still well maintained. The screens, audio functions, interactive exhibits still work, nearly 10 years after its refurbishment opening.
This is new: They've retrofitted Song Kheng Hai in the Chinese Political Leaders section of the Chinese History Museum
Screen and displays still working after nearly a decade!
Yes it is sad that in Malaysia it is noteworthy.
If you try and access http://www.museum.sarawaknet.gov.my, it doesn't work. That is because sarawaknet.gov.my is a internal DNS in the Sarawak State Government intranet.
Try https://museum.sarawak.gov.my/ At least it has HTTPS.
What agenda?
Sign of the times: can now buy cat food in the traditional by the kilo at Gambier St
In addition to the usual human food
Reached the Saujana Car Park, and saw this.
🤔
The bus was running, some passengers are on, but no driver was in sight.
I suppose no one steals buses even in Malaysia.
The bus driver eventually came on.
Bus driver acts as a conductor also. RM1 to Satok.
And we're off! My lucky day! Didn't wait too long.
And by noon, I was back at Satok.
Now ordinarily that would be unremarkable. But this is Malaysia. Outside of KL, Penang and (maybe) Kuantan, public transport is non-existent. Not just "poor": as in without private transport there is no other way to get around.
Which probably explains the 9 year car loans in Malaysia. (Yes, because that's the only way for people to afford cars)
At least these days there is the option of Grab and the other local grown one.
Yes, there are people who have been born and grown up in Kuching that have never taken public transport.
There is actually a live tracker for the Kuching hydrogen bus, and it actually works! So I waited at the Satok bus stop, when the time came, (which was about 11am) it actually showed up.
From Satok it goes over the Satok Bridge, to the Sunday Market, and back to the other side of Satok, and up Jalan Muhibbah to Kampung No 4.
Still plenty of wooden houses in the Kampung, or as they call it in Australia, A$220,000 worth.
Yes Australian houses are made out of wood, and they cost so much.
The bus is actually quite small: 20 seats. However for frequent routes that's the type of bus to use, rather than a big bus that can only do reduced frequency.
About half an hour after getting on at Satok, and looping through the Satok Kampung's, the bus arrived at Open Air Market.
Takes about 5 minutes from Open Air Market to Sarawak Plaza/Tun Jugah Plaza area.
Left hand side of the bus interior
The bus goes as far east as the Cat Statue at Padungan.
While on the bus, I discovered a design flaw: there is a complete lack of buttons at the rear to ring the bell to stop. Yes, it doesn't stop at every bus stop, because it is a bus, and if no one is getting on, and no one rings the bell, it just goes on.
Those sitting at the back need to clamber to the middle of the bus to ring the bell. Very poor design.
Where the wifi comes from. The bus wifi actually worked, and backend is provided by Digi.
The bus then stopped outside Riverside; that seems to be its terminus. Everyone got off. This was about 11.45am. I asked when would be the next bus. "next trip pukul satu" 🤦🏼♀ (Next trip is at 1pm)
I wasn't going to wait one and a quarter hours for the next bus, so I decided to start walking to Satok.
Sarawak River very fast flowing after the morning's rain.
Ducked into the Chinese History Museum. Was pleased to see that the exhibits are still well maintained. The screens, audio functions, interactive exhibits still work, nearly 10 years after its refurbishment opening.
This is new: They've retrofitted Song Kheng Hai in the Chinese Political Leaders section of the Chinese History Museum
Screen and displays still working after nearly a decade!
Yes it is sad that in Malaysia it is noteworthy.
If you try and access http://www.museum.sarawaknet.gov.my, it doesn't work. That is because sarawaknet.gov.my is a internal DNS in the Sarawak State Government intranet.
Try https://museum.sarawak.gov.my/ At least it has HTTPS.
What agenda?
Sign of the times: can now buy cat food in the traditional by the kilo at Gambier St
In addition to the usual human food
Reached the Saujana Car Park, and saw this.
🤔
The bus was running, some passengers are on, but no driver was in sight.
I suppose no one steals buses even in Malaysia.
The bus driver eventually came on.
Bus driver acts as a conductor also. RM1 to Satok.
And we're off! My lucky day! Didn't wait too long.
And by noon, I was back at Satok.
Wednesday, February 05, 2020
So when are we no longer considered "Chinese"?
As a general rule, I usually disagree with everything about Namewee. He is a attention seeking rabble rouser who just wants clicks. But on this point, I share his sentiments as someone who can trace his heritage 5 generations in Malaysia.
Languages are not hereditary. The only reason I can speak Chinese is because my parents forced me to learn the language. It may surprise some people, but the ethnic Chinese don't wake up one day and is able to speak Chinese.
I had to learn Mandarin. The pain. The sweat. The tears. The blood. Literally.
But hey, when I speak Mandarin, it supposed to come naturally to me right? No one goes "waaah" when I speak Mandarin; if anything they poke fun at my intonation (yes I suck at intonation), but Mark Zuckerberg does that, and his intonation is totally off, and everyone goes "waaah"
jackiechanwtf.jpg
Languages are not heriditary. I don't understand why is it such a hard concept to grasp for most people.
################################################################################################
我是馬來西亞人。一百年前祖先來自海南島。我祖先的國籍是“中華民國”。而我本身，則是土生土長的馬來西亞人，用的是馬來西亞護照+馬來西亞身份證，“祖國”是馬來西亞，國語是馬來語。
I am a Malaysian. A hundred years ago my ancestors came from Hainan island. My ancestors were "Republic of China" citizens. As for me, I am aborn and bred Malaysian, holding a Malaysian passport and Malaysian MyKad. My "motherland" is Malaysia, where the national language is Malay.
我們不是“華僑”，因為祖先是在馬來西亞還沒有獨立之前就來到這裡，然後再跟其他種族一起創立了這個國家。我並沒有“僑居”在別人的國家，所以你可以稱我是大馬華裔或華人，或者直接說我是馬來西亞人最好。
We are not "Overseas Chinese [nationals]", as my ancestors were in Malaysia before Malaysia was formed, and with the other ethnic groups, built up the country. We are not "overseas" citizens in another country.
在用英語回答外國朋友的時候我不會說我是 “Chinese”，因為在英語那是“中國人”的意思，但我不是，我不想讓他們誤會，所以我只會說 I'm Malaysian。
When I use English to commnuicate with foreigners I don't say I'm "Chinese", as in the English language it generally means ethnic Han Chinese from China, while I am not one, and I do not want them to misunderstand, so I will always say "I"m Malaysian"
就好像英國人當初坐船去到美國落地生根，而現在他們的後代只會說 “I'm American”，沒有人會說 “I'm British” 或者 “I'm English”。因為正常人都是以客觀的“國籍身份”來定義自己。
It is like the early British settlers to the America: the suceeding generations will describe themselves as "I'm American", no one will say "I'm British" or "I'm English". A normal person will describe themselves as what their citizenship [identity] is.
我會聽說讀寫中文，是因為我在馬來西亞選擇的學校和課程有教中文，民間也有在廣泛使用。我會說華語（普通話）跟我是什麼種族一點關係都沒有。華語（普通話）來自中國大陸北方，我的母語是海南話，來自南方，所以華語不能算是我母語。我是因為在馬來西亞有機會選擇和學習多一種語言，如今才能夠開口說。這點要感謝馬來西亞。
The fact that I can listen, speak, read, and write Mandarin, is because the school I went to in Malaysia uses Mandarin as the medium of instruction, with the "dialects" also used.
The fact that I can speak Chinese (Mandarin) has no connection to my ethnicity. (Mandarin) Chinese is a language from the northern areas of Mainland China, while my mother tongue is Hainanese, from the south. So by no stretch of imagination is Mandarin my mother tongue.
It is only because in Malaysia, I had the opportunity to learn more than one langauge, which is why can only say, I thank Malaysia for making me a polygot.
語言是不分國籍的，是跨越種族和國家的東西，你學了就是屬於你的。英國人不會去幹美國人或澳洲人說 “如果你不承認自己是英國人請不要使用英語!” 這種白癡的言論。。。
Languages are not citizenship; it is something that crosses race and nation-states, and can be learnt by anyone. The British don't go to the Americans or the Australians and say "If you don't see youself as British please do not use the English language!". Most people would see that as a preposterous logic...
以上的言論，我知道很多馬來西亞的華裔朋友是不認同的，但很抱歉那是客觀的事實。如果你依然認為大家應該要用“祖先”或 “血統”來定義自己的身份的話，那我會告訴你我是 “非洲人”，因為人類起源於非洲。你要繼續追溯人類歷史的話，那我是魚。又或者你要說我血統來自三葉蟲或單細胞也可以。。。
My opinion above, I know will not be accept by many ethnic Chinese in Malaysia, but I'm sorry that is an objective fact. If you insist on using your "ancestoral heritage" or "descent" to define your identity, than I am an "African", as the human species originated from Africa. If you really want to know where I'm really from, I'm probably from fish. Or if you drill down to my [genetic] descent, I'm probably from Trilobites or single cellular life......
Source: https://www.facebook.com/namewee/posts/10157536248698429
Languages are not hereditary. The only reason I can speak Chinese is because my parents forced me to learn the language. It may surprise some people, but the ethnic Chinese don't wake up one day and is able to speak Chinese.
I had to learn Mandarin. The pain. The sweat. The tears. The blood. Literally.
But hey, when I speak Mandarin, it supposed to come naturally to me right? No one goes "waaah" when I speak Mandarin; if anything they poke fun at my intonation (yes I suck at intonation), but Mark Zuckerberg does that, and his intonation is totally off, and everyone goes "waaah"
jackiechanwtf.jpg
Languages are not heriditary. I don't understand why is it such a hard concept to grasp for most people.
################################################################################################
我是馬來西亞人。一百年前祖先來自海南島。我祖先的國籍是“中華民國”。而我本身，則是土生土長的馬來西亞人，用的是馬來西亞護照+馬來西亞身份證，“祖國”是馬來西亞，國語是馬來語。
I am a Malaysian. A hundred years ago my ancestors came from Hainan island. My ancestors were "Republic of China" citizens. As for me, I am aborn and bred Malaysian, holding a Malaysian passport and Malaysian MyKad. My "motherland" is Malaysia, where the national language is Malay.
我們不是“華僑”，因為祖先是在馬來西亞還沒有獨立之前就來到這裡，然後再跟其他種族一起創立了這個國家。我並沒有“僑居”在別人的國家，所以你可以稱我是大馬華裔或華人，或者直接說我是馬來西亞人最好。
We are not "Overseas Chinese [nationals]", as my ancestors were in Malaysia before Malaysia was formed, and with the other ethnic groups, built up the country. We are not "overseas" citizens in another country.
在用英語回答外國朋友的時候我不會說我是 “Chinese”，因為在英語那是“中國人”的意思，但我不是，我不想讓他們誤會，所以我只會說 I'm Malaysian。
When I use English to commnuicate with foreigners I don't say I'm "Chinese", as in the English language it generally means ethnic Han Chinese from China, while I am not one, and I do not want them to misunderstand, so I will always say "I"m Malaysian"
就好像英國人當初坐船去到美國落地生根，而現在他們的後代只會說 “I'm American”，沒有人會說 “I'm British” 或者 “I'm English”。因為正常人都是以客觀的“國籍身份”來定義自己。
It is like the early British settlers to the America: the suceeding generations will describe themselves as "I'm American", no one will say "I'm British" or "I'm English". A normal person will describe themselves as what their citizenship [identity] is.
我會聽說讀寫中文，是因為我在馬來西亞選擇的學校和課程有教中文，民間也有在廣泛使用。我會說華語（普通話）跟我是什麼種族一點關係都沒有。華語（普通話）來自中國大陸北方，我的母語是海南話，來自南方，所以華語不能算是我母語。我是因為在馬來西亞有機會選擇和學習多一種語言，如今才能夠開口說。這點要感謝馬來西亞。
The fact that I can listen, speak, read, and write Mandarin, is because the school I went to in Malaysia uses Mandarin as the medium of instruction, with the "dialects" also used.
The fact that I can speak Chinese (Mandarin) has no connection to my ethnicity. (Mandarin) Chinese is a language from the northern areas of Mainland China, while my mother tongue is Hainanese, from the south. So by no stretch of imagination is Mandarin my mother tongue.
It is only because in Malaysia, I had the opportunity to learn more than one langauge, which is why can only say, I thank Malaysia for making me a polygot.
語言是不分國籍的，是跨越種族和國家的東西，你學了就是屬於你的。英國人不會去幹美國人或澳洲人說 “如果你不承認自己是英國人請不要使用英語!” 這種白癡的言論。。。
Languages are not citizenship; it is something that crosses race and nation-states, and can be learnt by anyone. The British don't go to the Americans or the Australians and say "If you don't see youself as British please do not use the English language!". Most people would see that as a preposterous logic...
以上的言論，我知道很多馬來西亞的華裔朋友是不認同的，但很抱歉那是客觀的事實。如果你依然認為大家應該要用“祖先”或 “血統”來定義自己的身份的話，那我會告訴你我是 “非洲人”，因為人類起源於非洲。你要繼續追溯人類歷史的話，那我是魚。又或者你要說我血統來自三葉蟲或單細胞也可以。。。
My opinion above, I know will not be accept by many ethnic Chinese in Malaysia, but I'm sorry that is an objective fact. If you insist on using your "ancestoral heritage" or "descent" to define your identity, than I am an "African", as the human species originated from Africa. If you really want to know where I'm really from, I'm probably from fish. Or if you drill down to my [genetic] descent, I'm probably from Trilobites or single cellular life......
Source: https://www.facebook.com/namewee/posts/10157536248698429
Saturday, January 04, 2020
Feuding relatives told to keep the peace
Source: https://www.theborneopost.com/2020/01/04/feuding-relatives-told-to-keep-the-peace/
Huh.
TIL that courts can order people to keep the peace.
Ref: https://judiciary.kehakiman.gov.my/portals/web/home/print_pdf/?type=cause_list_weekly&orientation=landscape&court_category=3&judge=929&district=1&division=1&state=13&start=2019-12-29&end=2020-1-04&printed_by=ANONYMOUS
Thursday, January 02, 2020
2010-2020 retro: Economists = Tarrot Card Geomancers
Source: https://www.theborneopost.com/2010/12/09/ringgit-to-hover-around-rm3-02-to-rm3-05-over-next-12-months-says-economist/
Source: https://www.xe.com/currencycharts/?from=USD&to=MYR&view=10Y
But hey, "economists" are different from Fortune Tellers and Tarrot Card Geomancers eh?
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