LOS TEROPONG

Los Teropong (Teropong means binoculars) comments on current issues in Malaysia, and sometimes the world, and put forth another opinion and perspective. BY THE WAY - THEY HUNG THE WRONG GUY ...

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Wednesday, June 28, 2006
World Cup 2006 - Ronaldo

27 June 2006 by FIFAworldcup.com - Ronaldo inscribed his name into football's history books on Tuesday by scoring a record-breaking 15th FIFA World Cup™ goal to take him clear of Gerd Muller as the tournament's all-time top marksman. Full story at: http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/060627/1/8bv6.html

Afterwards, he reflected on the achievement: "How do I make history? It's tough, difficult, it's not easy. You need a lot of sacrifice and a lot of work. This is the product of many, many years of effort." There was, though, no suggestion that it would satiate the thirst of a player not yet satisfied with his extensive list of achievements. "What do I want from now on?" he said. "More, more and more. I want to keep scoring, as I still have much left to give." Here is a summary of those 15 goals:

Goal 15: 27 June 2006, Brazil 3-0 Ghana: One goal, 5 minutes - The goal that broke Muller's record from the 1970 and 1974 tournaments was classic Ronaldo.

Goals 13 and 14: 22 June 2006, Japan 1-4 Brazil: Two goals, 46 and 81 mins - With these two goals, Ronaldo equalled Muller's record of 14 FIFA World Cup goals.

Goals 11 and 12: 30 June 2002, Germany 0-2 Brazil: Two goals, 67 and 79 mins - In the Final of the 2002 FIFA World Cup, Ronaldo scored the two most important goals of his career to secure for Brazil a record fifth world title.

Goal 10: 26 June 2002, Brazil 1-0 Turkey: One goal, 49 mins

Goal 9: 17 June 2002, Brazil 2-0 Belgium: One goal, 87 mins

Goals 7 and 8: 13 June 2002, Costa Rica 2-5 Brazil: Two goals, 10 and 13 mins

Goal 6: 8 June 2002, Brazil 4-0 China: One goal 55 mins

Goal 5: 3 June 2002, Brazil 2-1 Turkey: One goal, 50 minutes

Goal 4: 7 July 1998, Brazil 1-1 Netherlands (4-2 PSO): One goal, 46 mins

Goals 2 and 3: 27 June 1998, Brazil 4-1 Chile: Two goals, 45 and 70 mins

Goal 1: 16 June 1998, Brazil 3-0 Morocco: One goal, 9 mins

posted by Rozhan @ 6/28/2006 02:54:00 PM   0 comments
Friday, June 23, 2006
Rude Malaysians ..
Rude Cities: KL ranks third ... I received my July issue of the Reader's Digest ... and voila .. there it is, the article entitled, "How Polite Are We", pp. 54-62, a resewarch that ranked Kuala Lumpur as the the third rudest city among 35 cities worldwide.

The three tests conducted were:
  • We walked into public buildings 20 times behind people to see if they would hold the door open for us;
  • We bought small items from 20 shops and recorded whether the sales assistants said "Thank you";
  • We dropped a folder full of papers in 20 busy locations to see if anyone would help pick them up.
RD admitted to not attempting a strict scientific survey and what was presented was a real-life test (according to them), with more than 2000 separate tests (wow) of actual behaviour. Mumbai alone has a population of 22 million people, slightly less than the population of Malaysia ...

And the MOST courteous is New York (surpriiiiiiiise). Honestly, to say that it was a pathetic survey is really putting it mildly and for RD to do such a thing is mind boggling. What cretins ... However, this is enough to make the Malaysian Tourism people jumpy .. as if we are not sure of our own people. We have always and will always be like this, it is in the blood, the culture. I see people educated overseas throwing tissues on the ground, people driving big cars throwing rubbish out of their car window, children from school buses throwing wrappers out of the window and many more. Don't kid ourselves where our bahaviours are concerned. But TOURIST have always been coming to Malaysia .. I won't worry about it ... and I am quite sure people will start relating to their 'rude' encounters in countries that they have visited ....

Perhaps we should be asking more pertinent questions, such as what is considered rude, like, is it rude to:
  • chase people out of their own homeland and refuse to give it back
  • impose one own style of doing things on other people
  • think your way of doing things is the best way ..
  • think that only you can have nuclear capability and not other people
  • hold people (or country) to ransom just because you are rich
the list is endless .... aiyaa, tak tau lah ...

posted by Rozhan @ 6/23/2006 10:34:00 AM   0 comments
Malay Language Dichotomy
Aiyaaa .. tak tau lah .. that is the only way I can start this particular topic. The Star (23 June 2006) - KUALA LUMPUR: King: Make BM Universal Language. Huh .. what ?? .. yup, you read right ... This is how it goes (verbatim):

"Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP), one of the oldest statuary bodies in the country, is 50 years old. Its three-month-long Golden Jubilee celebration was launched yesterday by Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Syed Putra Jamalullail.

In conjunction with the launch, the King also opened Menara DBP in Jalan Bahasa. The 33-floor building is located behind the old DBP building. Also present was the Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Fauziah Tengku Abdul Rashid.

Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin urged Malaysians to help promote Bahasa Malaysia by making it the preferred language for modern communication. “I believe Bahasa Malaysia is capable of becoming a universal language in this region if we work towards it,” the King said.

Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein in his speech pledged the Government's assistance to DBP in promoting Bahasa Malaysia."

Hmmm .... YESTERDAY, I received in my pigeon-hole a circular from the Registrar's office - Surat Pekeliling Am Bilangan 1 Tahun 2006: Langkah-Langkah Memperkasakan Penggunaan Bahasa Kebangsaan Dalam Perkhidmatan Awam.

(Cutting a long story very short) - This being the case, WHY, oh WHY do Universities now have to teach in ENGLISH. Why? .. Why?.. Why? .. Then after being taught in English, the Internet is in English (well mostly for Malaysians unless they know another foreign language), reference books are in English ... and then .... when they enter public service, they are supposed to be good in BM? Fuyoo ... whose Grand idea is this?? We will definitely end up being neither here nor there as far as BM or English.... BM pun kong-kang, ENGLISH pun kong-kang ... Aiyaaa, tak tau lah ... (btw, Bahasa Malaysia means Malay Language, to me at least ..)

posted by Rozhan @ 6/23/2006 09:57:00 AM   2 comments
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Champions .. champions ..
New Straits Times, 19 June, 2006 (Monday) - Sports - Many Congratulations to Lee Chong Wei for winning the Malaysian Open (Badminton) for a third consecutive time, joining Rashid Sidek as the only Malaysians to have won a hattrick of Malaysian Open titles.

I was actually watching the match when it went to the third set. Chong Wei was presenting Lin Dan with numerous unforced errors and when it went to the decider, I thought, hmmm ... here we go again. Then Chong Wei was trailling 4-9 and I switched to another Channel. Man .. I would love to see him catch up .. good for you.

Congrats too to Shalin Zulkifli who won her fourth title of the year when she claimed the women's ABF Tour Philippines leg (Bowling) at the Green Valley Bowling Centre in Pasig City. Before this victory, she had captured the Thailand Open, ABR Tour Thailand Leg and Kuwait Open, all in April this year.

What? ... Shalin doesn't have a coach!! Reminds me of Roger Federer who did not have a coach, and even now only has a part-time coach. Guess, it is really in the head, the intrinsic motivation factor that cannot be controlled by any 'official', or need to be ... it just requires the impetus to channel their strength in the right direction .. the rest is up to the person. I mean Chong Wei had to sort his own 'head' on the court, while facing Lin Dan at 13-20. No coach or official can help him, only him ... but Malaysia is ALL about 'officialdom' when the players need 'freedom' ... aiyaa, tak tau lah ...

Go Sheby go, perhaps we should have a My-team for every State in Malaysia and have a Malaysian My-team League. Just a thought ...

posted by Rozhan @ 6/20/2006 11:40:00 AM   2 comments
Sunday, June 18, 2006
It's Quits for Yusry & Erra ..
Yusri Abdul Halim (33) and Erra Fazira (Wan Nor Fazira Wan Chek) (32) got married in June (15), 2003 and on 16th June 2006, they were in court for a declaration of divorce, after attempts for a reconciliation proved unsuccessful. It is not easy to make a marriage work and naturally, there will be theething problems that need to be sorted out. Still .. there is always a chance that they may get back together?? ... Hmmm ... guess even a pretty face is not good enough ... aiyaa tak tau lah ... (picture from Utusan Online)
(http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/nst/Saturday/National/20060617083503/Article/local1_html)
posted by Rozhan @ 6/18/2006 02:09:00 AM   0 comments
Thursday, June 15, 2006
The Raw Family ...
Meet the RAW FAMILY ... well .. they don't have a name called RAW .. in fact they are the Boutenko family, but they are known as the Raw Family because they live on RAW food!! Their amazing journey on living on purely raw food diet began in 1994 when the family became seriously ill.

Victoria had arrhythmia and edema and was obese and depressed. Igor suffered from painful rheumatoid arthritis and had severe hyperthyroid. Sergei was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes and was supposed to go on insulin. Valya had asthma. After they went on a raw diet, they healed all of their health problems. You can read their story from their website as linked. The recipes looks good too ... those who wish to donate can do so as they also conduct research and share their information with others to help other sufferers..... that's what makes the world go round ...

posted by Rozhan @ 6/15/2006 12:56:00 PM   0 comments
Your AGE and Events ...
Hmmm .. this is interesting, if you are intrigue by events around you with respect to your age. Go this from: http://www.frontiernet.net/~cdm/age1.html - There are more surprises behind this url .. you will find that out for yourself ..

Here is a glimpse of the age-event list, based on my age, that is ... and I am about ..

  • 25 years 10 months younger than Yoko Ono, age 73
  • 17 years 7 months younger than Bob Dylan, age 65
  • 15 years 5 months younger than Mick Jagger, age 62
  • 13 years 9 months younger than Eric Clapton, age 61
  • 10 years 7 months younger than Stevie Nicks, age 58
  • 3 years 3 months younger than David Lee Roth, age 50
  • 0 years 5 months younger than Madonna, age 47
  • 3 years 2 months older than Jon Bon Jovi, age 44
  • 8 years 2 months older than Billy Corgan, age 39
  • 11 years 3 months older than Mariah Carey, age 36
  • 15 years 5 months older than Alanis Morissette, age 32
  • 22 years 11 months older than Britney Spears, age 24
And also that I was ..
  • 3 years old at the time Beverly Hillbillies first aired
  • 5 years old when the Addams Family first appeared on TV
  • 7 years old at the time the first Star Trek episode was televised
  • 12 years old when All in the Family was first shown
  • 13 years old at the time the TV series M*A*S*H began
  • 16 years old when Saturday Night Live first aired
  • 19 years old when CBS introduced Dallas
  • 22 years old during the first airing of Hill Street Blues
  • 23 years old at the time the first Cheers episode was televised
  • 27 years old when L.A. Law was first aired on TV
  • 28 years old at the time the series Married with Children began
  • 31 years old when Seinfeld was first televised
  • 32 years old in the month Home Improvement began
  • 35 years old at the time the TV series Friends began
  • 37 years old when Everybody Loves Raymond first aired
  • 40 years old when Who Wants To Be A Millionaire began in the US


posted by Rozhan @ 6/15/2006 09:06:00 AM   1 comments
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
French Open 2006
Roland Garros, Paris, FRANCE - The 2006 French Open pitted the top two ranked players, a Swiss and a Spaniard. Nadal won the French Open for a second consecutive time and Federer has lost to Nadal for the fifth consecutive time in their encounters on CLAY. For Nadal, he's the youngest man to win consecutive championships at Roland Garros since Bjorn Borg in 1974-75. That's life, but there are valuable lessons that we can extract from their experiences, viz,

Federer said:
  • He's tough to beat, but he's not impossible to beat. That's a big difference. Otherwise, we wouldn't have to play. He can just lift the trophy on the first day.
  • It didn't happen (beating Nadal on clay), so I've got to create this opportunity once again.
Nadal said:
  • If you fight all the time, if you have a good mental attitude, it works.
  • It's very difficult to move the same on grass (Wimbledon coming up ..), because I slide a lot on grass," Nadal said. "But I'm going to try.
Guess that is why they are where they are .... aiyaa, tak tau lah ...

posted by Rozhan @ 6/13/2006 09:48:00 AM   2 comments
Monday, June 12, 2006
Afghan Women Drivers
New Sunday Times - 4 June 2006, Page 47 - KABUL: Everyone she passes - each taxi driver, every man and every burqa-clad woman - is looking at Sofia, 14, and driving a car!! Women drivers are so rare in Afghanistan that it's a shock for most people who see one. Her father (Abdul Shokoor Ziaee) taught her mother and two other sisters to drive. She can't legally drive yet until she is 19.

Ziaee opened the Bakhtan Technical and Driving Course school after the fall of the Taliban, which had banned women from driving. Ziaee said that, although many more women might like to drive, husbands, fathers and brothers had the final say, and invariably accompanied learners to their first class to give their approval of the school. Hmmm ... sounds reasonable .. at least their daughters can drive in case they have a heart attack and need to be driven to the hospital ..

Now, here is the irony of the whole situation ... another women driver, Wafa said she would never drive outside the capital. Even here, she had to contend with MEN who'll drive staraight at her. Why? They may enjoy disturbing the women. Maybe they don't like women drivers. Hmmm ... this is really strange .. especially when MEN are supposed to PROTECT the women ... aiyaa, tak tau lah ...

posted by Rozhan @ 6/12/2006 11:24:00 AM   2 comments
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
Malaysian Palm Oil Saga ...
May 27, 2006 - New Straits Times - Saturday Forum, Page 19 - A distortion of facts, by palm oil critics by Yusof Basiron. As reported, a TOP level team of experts was assembled by the Malaysian Palm Oil Council in London last week for a symposium on Sustainable Resource Development. This was in response to strongly worded statements in the London media from NGOs who had tried to associate palm oil with the habitat loss of orang utan, in view of the expansion of palm oil production in recent years. Yeah, baby, it gets juicier ....

When statistics on the percentage of Malaysian land devoted to forestry, agriculture and palm oil were revealed and compared with the equivalent status for agriculture in Britain, it was a big eye opener for the audience.

Malaysia devotes six million of its 33 million hectares of lans to agriculture, of which two-thirds or four million hectares are under oil palm cultivation. Yet the four million hectares of oil palm produces twice as much oxygen as generated by the 17 million hectares of agricultural crops in Britain. This underscores the superiority of oil palm in generating oxygen for the benefit of the world.

Cutting a long story short, the plantation industry in Malaysia is professionally managed and the Malaysian palm oil industry can safely claim that its cultivation is comparatively seperior to ANY large-scale agriculture in the tropics or the temperate countries in terms of sustainable parameters.


Further, it should be ideal for the EU or Britain to fololow the standard set by Malaysia in having more than 50 percent of its land under forest cover by converting agricultural land into forest for generating conditions of higher conservation and diversity.


The anti-palm oil hysteria by NGOs is mainly a distortion of real facts or good practices long adopted in Malaysia.

  • Why did the NGOs try to portray palm oil negatively by urging consumers to avoid palm oil products which come from unsustainable sources?
  • How can they accuse or imply that Malaysia palm oil is not sustainable?
Hmmm ... shame on you ... aiyaa tak tau lah ...

posted by Rozhan @ 6/06/2006 04:49:00 PM   1 comments
Friday, June 02, 2006
Maid Deals in Malaysia
Read on the Front Cover of the New Straits Times on Saturday, 27th May 2006 about this 'New Deals for Maids'. The employment of foreigm maids will come under an 'open market' system soon. Wages will bw negotiable among the employer, maid and employment agency. Hmmmm ... it is getting from bad to worse, this modern day flesh-trade.

Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Dr Fong Chan Onn said that the MOU between the Home Affairs and Human Resources Ministries signed two weeks ago, reflected the sincerity of the Malaysian Government. Riiiiight, the Ministries are sincere, the public gets screwed!!!

Main Features of the MOU:
  • No ceiling or minimum on wages for maids;
  • Wages to be negotiated by the employer and the maid;
  • Introduction of mandatory insurance coverage for maids costing RM72 per month;
  • Employers will have to open a bank account under the maid's name and deposit her salary in it every month;
  • Employers will also have to sign a legal contract with maids on terms and conditions of employment;
  • Maids can take grievances against employers to the Labour Court and, if necessary, to the Sessions Court;
  • Employment agencies will no longer be able to deduct maid's salaries.
Hmmm ... my maid can't even read or write. Wonder how one go about negotiating with the maid and if she can undestand the numbers in the account book. Guess it will be a big 'X' for a signature. What? .. someone is going to verify this?? Really?

Ooookay, hands's up those who have insurance for their family, either for you own good self and/or children. The welfare Department of Malaysia pays RM80 to a poor family in Malaysia, and we have a mandatory RM72 for the maid, wow!!

Hmmm ... where are we to take our grievances if the maid is 'not good'; teach 100 time still cannot remember how to do stuff. I had one who left oven gas on, any spark will turn my house into an inferno. Hot iron left longer than necessary, burnt my pants and other things, finished a whole big box of washing powder in no time, and many more stories, child hitting, almost always two-faced (different character when parents are at home) la di da di da. As a matter of fact we are at their mercy!!! Aiyaaa... tak tau lah ...

Thank you Ministries for taking care of the Malaysian citizens.

posted by Rozhan @ 6/02/2006 01:26:00 AM   0 comments
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Name: Rozhan
Home: Penang, Malaysia
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